An
Albany , Oregon construction firm, Hoover & McNeil, did the work.
Wm. Quigley was supervisor. J. A. Drake, also of Albany , did the
electrical work. A. J. Eberhardt, of North Bend , had the plumbing
contract. B. F. Shearer of Seattle did the furnishings and decorating.
There was seating for 750 people. Fifty-four loge seats were upholstered
in velour. A massive Wurlitzer pipe organ, second in size in the state
only to a Portland theater organ, was the leading feature of the house.
Interior decoration included a mural depicting a Spanish prince, on
his charger. The opposite wall showed a princess consulting a witch
about the coming of her prince. The projection room was 9' by 20',
equipped with two Simplex projectors that threw the images 90' to
the gold fiber Gardiner screen.
The
new Liberty Theater opened Easter Sunday April 20, 1924 , with Rex
Stratton's 2:00 p.m. organ concert. The world premier showing of "The
Fighting Coward," starring Noah Berry and Mary Astor, was the
first film shown. Also shown was a Hal Roach short, "Big Business,"
featuring the Rascals. Opening admission prices were children, 25
cents, adults, 50 cents and loges, 75 cents.
LTOB
was formed in 1948 as a radio theatre and branced into theatrical
productions in December,
1948. LTOB, now famous for musicals
did not produce its first musical for another twelve years.
An almost complete listing of LTOB productions over the years appears
in the archives section of ltob.net.
The
organizational meeting of LTOB was in August, 1948, at the home of
Eleanor Shank. Here is a photograph of the first Board of Directors,
with a link to a larger photograph:
The
group met and performed at several local locations until 1958. LTOB
then rented the Liberty Theatre until the early 1980's. A
contract was drawn up for the purchase of the building. An extensive
remodeling of the upper balconies and light booth was then completed.
In the spring of 1996 the contract was paid off and the “mortgage
burned.”
The
By-Laws state the mission and ultimate goal: “This shall be a non-profit
organization for the purpose of discovering and developing local talent
and producing theatrical performances for the entertainment and cultural
enrichment of the general public.” In addition the group has evolved
by partnering with local schools, civic organizations, and other non-profit
entities to educate and benefit the community.
or call 1-800-4TIX
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