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The original Seeley Theatre was a wooden
hall on the corner of 7th and Columbia, built before the turn of the
century, the wooden chairs with leather strap seats saw the use of many
patrons.
The new theatre would be something
more; an opera house for stage shows, vaudeville and the new silent
movies. Building was started in 1911, and contracts for design and
materials went to Portland, Seattle, Minneapolis and Chicago.
On November 24th of 1913, the New Seeley
Theatre, a three and a half story brick structure with a performance
stage, opened to a crowd of 713 people to see the London play, "Bunty
Pull the Strings." The lucky ones got to pay $10.00 to sit in
the double box seats. Many a days labor went to get you and girl a
choice seat for $5.00. To stand in the lobby still cost you
$.75. The hand painted advertising curtain, now one of the only
remaining working ones in the United States, opened to enthusiastic
applause.
The new Seeley Theatre saw a progression of
traveling shows, community events and the advent of the
"TALKIES". It survived the great depression era and the
movie of the decade, "Gone with the Wind", drew long lines.
For almost forty years the Seeley stood unchanged, a little wear and tear,
a new neon sign and empty seats.
In the 50's the box seats were removed to
allow for the showing of cinemascope films on a wide screen. In the
60's the lobby was remodeled to give a newer more competitive look.
The stage was closed off to house a refrigeration and repair shop... the
footlights dimmed, the balcony closed, the staircases removed, the
dressing rooms housed not choruses, leading ladies, and gentlemen... but
accumulated storage and debris.
Even as most of the old "Opera"
houses were being torn down, allowed to deteriorate or converted to
offices and warehouses, the Seeley still had her chandeliers, her curtains
and her unrivaled acoustics. Although her outward appearance is a
little tattered and made over, her form shows that she is a Lady of
Distinction.
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