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State Theatre Essay

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At a hundred and four years old, the State Theatre still stands as one of Bay City's most recognizable landmarks. Despite floods, fires, and a century's worth of history, the theater proudly remains and operates on Washington Street. Dozens of events are put on there each year. Orchestras, Vaudeville, various musical groups, and comedians are just a few of the thousands of acts that have been housed within its walls. The building inside has been remodeled various times over the last few decades, and each time parts of the past have been found. Though there's a haunting presence, the six hundred seat house is still full for most events. The theater may not be run by the same employees, and the jobs have changed, but the theater is still as …show more content…

C. Howard Crane renovated the theater to resemble a Mayan Temple in 1930, and the theater reopened as The Bay (Greene). The theater had been purchased by Butterfield Theater chain and Crane was extensively hired by the company to renovate the theater into its new exotic design. “The eventual cost of the upgrading is said to have been $100,000. Crane successfully designed a Mayan theme through out the entire building” (LaLonde). Being under new ownership the theater was also under new management. The new theater manager was known as Floyd Ackerman, and it was said the theater was equivalent to a spouse for him with how much time he put into it. Ackerman got so caught up in his work he'd find himself going to the bank in the late hours of the night or even after late night shows. On “December 16, 1943” while going to the bank after a late night show, he was “murdered by Johnny Woos” (“History”). Floyd Ackerman is one of two men killed having to do with the theater. By 1957 not as much excitement had happened, besides the theater being renamed again and for the final time by the Butterfield owners to The State Theatre (LaLonde). In 1984 the theater was bought by George Kerasotes Corporation and in 1990 they decided to close it (Greene). In over a hundred years of being open The State Theatre has created quite the past for itself. Along with a colorful history full of memorable

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