Feature Story
Coming Soon... to the Liberty Theater
When “The Music Man” hit the stage at Dayton’s Liberty Theater in the fall of 2001, it was the culmination of a remarkable effort by many volunteers to bring the historic theater back to life.
The Liberty Theater, originally built in 1910 and called The Dreamland, re-opened in 2001 after three decades of decay followed by a heroic restoration effort. It was once more the center of Dayton’s cultural life and it brought with it the promise of extraordinary entertainment that Daytonites had never before experienced.
In the eight years since “The Music Man” arrived, local theater goers have enjoyed eight more fall musicals, many other live music and drama performances and countless new movies and classic films.
2010 may prove to be the best year for theater entertainment in Dayton in decades. Manager Reid Helford and the Touchet Valley Arts Council (TVAC) are working on a lineup of live performances and movie series that will offer local theater goers more of what they’ve come to expect, plus many new entertainment opportunities.
Blue Mountain News starts off the new year with a glimpse of what’s coming up this year at the Liberty Theater. Whether you’re into movies or live theater or live music performances—or all three— you’ll find something wonderful to see and hear right here in Dayton.
So come on in, find a comfortable seat and sit back and enjoy what’s in store for you in 2010 at the Liberty Theater.
Great Film Series
When we think of “classic movies”, we often think of those from the 1930s and 40s, such as Gone with the Wind and Casablanca. But the 1960s and 70s saw their own crop of blockbuster movies that will one day go down as classics.
To celebrate those movies from a more recent era, the Liberty Theater introduced its “Great Films” series in December with the showing of Saturday Night Fever. The Series will continue through May, with films showing on the second Thursday of each month at 7:30 p.m.
Upcoming films in the series include:
• The Sting — January
• West Side Story — February
• Close Encounters of the Third Kind — March
• The Good, the Bad and the Ugly — April
• Rocky — May
Series tickets are available for $30 for singles or $50 for couples. Individual tickets may also be purchased at regular admission prices.
A Brief History of the Liberty Theater
The Dreamland Theater opened in Dayton in December of 1910. Its name was changed to the Liberty Theater in 1917 in honor of America’s heroic military efforts in World War I. After being destroyed by fire in 1919, the Liberty reopened in 1921. A new neon marquee was installed on the front of the Liberty Theater in 1937. (The current marquee is a replica of that one.)
Throughout the 1940s and 50s, the Liberty Theater showed movies daily, with several different films showing each week. All of the big movies of that era played at the Liberty. The theater began to fall into disrepair in the 1960s, and it closed its doors in 1970.
The Touchet Valley Arts Council (TVAC) was formed in 1995 as an adjunct to the Dayton Development Task Force. Its mission was to restore the Liberty Theater. TVAC raised nearly $850,000 through grants, private donations and fundraising events for the restoration project.
In 1996, the old theater building was donated to TVAC by the Nealey and Marinella law firm. Its interior was gutted and its roof removed. A new roof was installed in late 1996 and renovation work continued until mid-2001.
The newly renovated Liberty Theater reopened in the fall of 2001 after being closed over 30 years. Its first live production was the Fall Musical The Music Man.
Since reopening, the theater has been operated by TVAC, which is a non-profit group. TVAC’s board of directors is made up of community members, most of whom volunteer many hours each year, helping with activities at the theater. An associated group called TVAC Productions, which was formed when the theater reopened, puts on the annual Fall Musical and other live performances at the theater.
In 2007, TVAC purchased the building next to the theater to the east as an annex. A door was installed between it and the Liberty Theater stage. The Annex now provides much needed space for meetings and gatherings, as well as off stage-space for cast members and musicians during performances.
Manager, Reid Helford
Reid Helford grew up loving old movies and old movie theaters. “I always had a dream of running a theater,” he says. When he saw an ad in early 2008 seeking a new Liberty Theater Manager, Reid came to Dayton to check out the theater and he liked what he saw. He submitted his application and got the job.
Reid is a native of the Chicago area and holds a Doctorate Degree in sociology from Loyola University. Prior to moving to Dayton, he worked as a sociology instructor at Whitman College and at Columbia Basin College in Pasco. Reid and his wife, Amy, were recently married during a holiday vacation in December.
Reid is assisted at the theater by Karen Lyman, who helps sell tickets and concessions during movies and performances, and also helps splice film for presentation.
Since coming to Dayton, Reid has taken on the mission of introducing new live performances and movie series to Liberty Theater audiences. The lineup of great theater events shown here is the result of those efforts.
Movies, Movies, Movies
Movies are the Liberty Theater’s bread and butter. Throughout the year, the theater shows new movies, usually within a month after their release.
“Movies are definitely the theater’s biggest income generator, “ says manager Reid Helford. “Concessions are second, and much of that comes during movies.” Reid says that the theater is committed to being a movie house and continuing to offer newly released films to Dayton moviegoers.
The Liberty Theater will begin 2010 with the blockbuster vampire sensation, “Twilight: New Moon”, on New Year’s Weekend. Showings will be Friday through Sunday at 7:30 p.m.
Also showing New Year’s Weekend will be “Planet 51”, a kids’ animated feature. Showings will be Friday through Sunday at 3:00 p.m., with a Tuesday special kids’ movie night at 7:00 p.m.
Showing later in January will be “The Blindside”, with Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw, “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel” and the new release of “Sherlock Holmes”, with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law.
The Liberty Theater Event Schedule
DECEMBER/JANUARY
New Year’s Eve Party
December 31st
Pirate Radio, a comedy starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, is the movie feature for this year’s New Years Eve party. After the movie, enjoy food, drinks and a champagne toast at midnight. It’s all included in the $25 admission.
FEBRUARY
Life, Liberty and the
Pursuit of Bluegrass
February 7th
Three local area bluegrass bands will be on stage for this Sunday afternoon show: Wanigan from the Asotin area, the Ryegrass String Band from Walla Walla, and the Blue Mountain Troublemakers from Waitsburg. John Hockersmith is a senior at Waitsburg High School and a member of the Troublemakers. He’s organizing this show as his senior project. More information about the Bluegrass show will be available soon on the Liberty Theater web site.
Under a Celtic Moon
February 27th
Last year’s Celtic music show at the theater was a huge success. Mike McQuary has put together another great lineup for this year’s show. Members of The Desert Thistle Pipe Band and the An Daire Dancers will be back. Skweez the Weezle, a great Irish folk band, also from the Tri-Cities, will return as well.
New this year will be folk singer Thom Dudley from Portland. And those great local favorites, the Skye Brew Singers, will again lead off the show.
MARCH
The Variety Show: LOVE
This year’s Variety Show will feature songs about falling in love, falling out of love and trouble with love. Director Bev Startin, along with her great group of choreographers, has lots in store. Once again, the show will feature singing, dancing and solo performances. The ever-popular Men’s Drill Team will also return.
Performances will be March 10th, 12th, 13th (two shows) and 14th.
Foreign and Independent Film Series
Beginning in March
A collection of four newly released foreign and independent films will be shown beginning in March. Check the Theater’s web site for details . . . coming soon.
APRIL
World Premier of “The Waiting Room”
April 24th and 25th
TVAC Productions will present the world premier of a new dramatic play by Yakima writer Susan Marionneaux La Riviere. It is the story of strangers in an ICU waiting room who soon become family. The author has attended performances at the Liberty Theater and feels its stage is perfect for her play. Auditions for the local cast of this production will be held in early 2010.
MAY
5th Grade Musical
May 26th and 27th
JUNE
Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival
June 16th
An ensemble of nationally recognized performers will appear at the Liberty Theater as part of the Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival on June 16th. Festival founder and Artistic Director Tim Christie is also bringing the musicians to the Dayton schools for special workshops with students and an open rehearsal.
JULY
Children’s Film Series
July / August
AUGUST
Missoula Children’s Theater
Early August
The Tortoise and the Hare
(Sponsored by TVAC Productions)
The Missoula Children’s Theatre provides a week-long residency “starring” 50 to 60 local students in a full-scale musical. Two public performances are held.
SEPTEMBER
Liberty Theater Film Society
Fall
Join the Film Society for another series of independent and foreign films, beginning in September.
OCTOBER
Got Talent
October
The Liberty Theater’s annual showcase of local talent is again planned for October. So brush up on your skills and plan to take part in this year’s show.
NOVEMBER
Fall Musical
November / December
TVAC Productions will present its tenth Fall Musical in 2010 at the Liberty Theater. The group will announce the play and its director early in 2010.