Theater reopens with original flourish

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Oct 5, 2008 by Rachel Whitten

By Rachel Whitten

SPECIAL TO THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

EMPORIA -- This year, the Granada Theater's birthday was a special one.

The Granada opened its doors at 807 Commercial for the first time on Oct. 3, 1929. This year on the same day, the doors opened for a gala to honor the people who have supported the theater's complete overhaul.

But 79 years later, it doesn't look much different than when it first opened. Everything has been renovated to replicate how it looked in 1929.

It was a huge task -- more than 1,000 feet of stenciling detail work, repainting everything and installing fresh carpet, ornamental plaster moldings and period fixtures.

"Pretty much everything we did we had to get permission from the historical society before we did it," said Doug Ford, executive director of the Emporia Granada Theater Alliance.

And it had to be ready on time.

"We're getting down to crunch time, for the past month my crews have been working 24 hours a day," Ford said the week before the gala. "I enjoy the construction part of it and watching a historical theater be restored to its original state."

One of the biggest projects was restoring the plaster proscenium arch. Using plaster molds and copying some of the originals that remained, the arch's elaborate carvings and other plasterwork were restored.

"That's one thing that will separate us from other theaters -- how beautiful and artistic is it," Ford said. "It's pretty amazing. When people walk in the first thing out of their mouth is, 'Wow.'"

Ford, a 2003 graduate of Shawnee Heights High School and a May graduate of Emporia State University, said that although the restoration's goal was to keep the theater's qualities the same, some things just had to change.

For example, central air conditioning has been installed, with the vents hidden behind ornamental plates. Restrooms were added on the first floor; in 1929 they were only available on the mezzanine.

"We made the concession stand bigger for catering, with a lot of counter top space," Ford said.

The restoration also was designed so special events and private parties would have homes in the Granada.

"The theater is going to have its own shows after a while, but for now it will be a rental banquet facility," Ford said. "I've already got wedding receptions and Christmas parties booked."

The first big party was Friday, when the theater made its grand debut to the people who made the renovation possible.

"It's all about letting them see the theater and what they did," Ford said. "Without their contribution we would not have been able to do this."

In the entryway of the theater, the former coming attractions displays will feature the names of everyone who supported the theater's restoration. It will be a lengthy list.

"We've had a lot of people working on the theater," said Ford.

The fundraising began in 2000, and renovation started in 2003, so the process has been long, but Ford is excited that everything has finally come together.

"We're ready for it to be opened," he said. "It will bring more people together, it will bring more people downtown. It will help and support everyone on Main Street and help everything come alive."

Rachel Whitten is a freelance writer living in Topeka.