Two films made nearly a century ago were premiered once again inside the renovated St. Marys Theater and Opera House on Saturday evening.
Tyler R. Dietsch | The Lima News
ST.MARYS — The Friends of the St. Marys Theater and Opera House celebrated a 100-year milestone by showcasing two films directed by St. Marys native William K. Howard. The Grand opened in 1895 with the comedic duo Nancy to great reviews and was a town institution for decades.
“No way the doors can be chained shut when the city celebrated its 200th birthday,” was the expression shared by local city commissioner Doug Spencer. St. Marys celebrates its bicentennial this year. Spencer is also a coordinator for the Friends of the St. Marys Theater organization. The group has big plans for the theater, hoping that by reopening and restoring the Grand it will be a shot in the arm of downtown St. Marys.
The theater is in good structural condition and the organization has big plans ahead. The 70-ft. back of the house is being replaced this June with an airplane hangar door, adding to the versatility of the space by making it an indoor and outdoor venue. They hope that this will make it an ideal venue for summertime events.
The theater has three original murals in fantastic condition, and the house can seat 470 people with additional chairs. The original curtain has been treated with modern fire-safety products. The plan is to turn the upstairs of the Grand into a mixed-use space for dinners, smaller live music events and wedding banquets.
Dean Klosterman, principal of Omega Metals in St. Marys, made it a priority to collaborate with the Friends of the Theater organization in the restoration process. He felt it was important that employees and the community knew that Omega was part of the process every time they walked through the front doors.
The night’s programs revolved around a St. Marys native who made it big in the silent and silver screen film eras. William K. Howard was born in 1899 in St. Marys, and after fighting in World War One attended Ohio State University for engineering law. Moving to Hollywood, Howard then directed over 50 silent and black-and-white films.
The first film shown was “Let’s Go,” released in 1923 and considered an action film of the time. Accompanying the film on the organ in the theater was Dennis James, internationally acclaimed organist who has worked 50 years to bring back the magic of silent films. James also plays a unique instrument invented by Benjamin Franklin called the glass harmonica, and has plans to play it for the St. Marys audience at the Grand this year. The second film of the night was Howard’s Back Door to Heaven, a black-and-white film that premiered on February 12, 1939 at the Grand. It tells the story of a St. Marys man who is caught up in a life of crime that ends in tragedy.
