"Scout" From TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD at Redford Theatre

[Toolbox]

Um, some people didn't buy tickets, it wasn't automatic with attendance.

First I even heard about it was when the one guy said they would announce winners at intermission.

Heck, if everyone only bought one ticket...isn't 7-of-11 participating pretty good?!


And they changed the odds slightly by using two bowls and picking prizes from each, so the drawings always had half the number of tickets to choose from...

There were 2 totally seperate drawings - 50/50 and gift basket\signed book. In the past the 50/50 pots have been much larger with smaller audiences. I did find that odd with the number of attendees the pot was not larger. Several winners in the past said to just donate the winnings back to the MCTOS.

Most of the characters went by pet names, Scout, Jem, Dil, Cal and Boo come to mind.

[gnome]

Tb, I think a newbee to the Redford might not have been aware of the 50/50. The lobby was pretty crowded and when ya think about it, having a 50/50 is a little different. Just as was the singing of the National Anthem... a young couple next to me didn't understand what was happening and fumbled a round with their coats before they stood up.

When folks go to their megaeplex, they never experience the kinds of things that you find at the Redford. I'll bet ya most newbees never even knew such a thing was happening.

[Kathleen]

Having been to the Redford many times in the last 30 years or so, I can only imagine what an exciting event it was, with To Kill A Mockingbird on the big screen plus an original cast member in the house!!

Sorry I couldn't have been there....thanks so much for sharing your experiences!!

[Gannon]

Thanks for the extra info, Toolbox and Gnome.

I was one of those ignorant newbies, and missed the national anthem, too.

Was overwhelmed by the whole deal, it was a truly great time.

Next visit, we eat dinner beforehand...

[eno]

There were 2 totally seperate drawings - 50/50 and gift basket\signed book. In the past the 50/50 pots have been much larger with smaller audiences. I did find that odd with the number of attendees the pot was not larger. Several winners in the past said to just donate the winnings back to the MCTOS.

Most of the characters went by pet names, Scout, Jem, Dil, Cal and Boo come to mind.

Toolbox, pots for the 50/50 raffle at the Redford Theatre usually bring in @ $250-$300 on a good night of around 400-500 in attendance. Saturday night was the first time in all the years that I've been going to the Redford when more than one award of $100 was paid out.

[DetroitTeacher]

There were 2 totally seperate drawings - 50/50 and gift basket\signed book. In the past the 50/50 pots have been much larger with smaller audiences. I did find that odd with the number of attendees the pot was not larger. Several winners in the past said to just donate the winnings back to the MCTOS.

Most of the characters went by pet names, Scout, Jem, Dil, Cal and Boo come to mind.

Cal wasn't a pet name, it was a shortened version of her real name, Calpurnia. In all reality, Nell Harper Lee had a sister, instead of a brother [[Jem) as she did in the book. Just a tidbit of info...

[Kathleen]

Saturday night was the first time in all the years that I've been going to the Redford when more than one award of $100 was paid out.

The folks running the 50/50 must have a number in mind for splitting the pot into several prizes because this happened a couple years back when they had a pretty full house for the 50th Anniversary showing of "Anatomy Of A Murder".

Looking for an upcoming Redford show to attend!!

[Gistok]

The 2,051 seat Redford Theatre is one of the last surviving neighborhood theatres left in Detroit.

The 1928 built theatre was one of many that Detroit theatre impressario John Kunsky [[builder of the Capitol, Adams, Madison, Royal Oak, etc...) built during the golden 1920s.

Size wise, it is about the same size as the Detroit United Artists Theatre. Decoration wise, it is the last atmospheric theatre left in Detroit, built mainly in a "Japanese Atmospheric" style, which is a very rare style for an American theatre. In the auditorium, one has the feeling of being in a Japanese garden courtyard.

The Redford underwent some significant changes after December 7, 1941... when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and we got into WWII. The interior was changed to remove all vestiges of Japanese style. Luckily much of this was via paint.

Although the lobby sustained damage during the intervening years, a pair of chandeliers from downtown Detroit's Oriental Theatre, and now light up the mildly Asian styled theatre lobby.

The Barton Organ in the Redford was the theatre's saving grace... since it was what attracted the Motor City Theatre Organ Society [[MCTOS) to operate [[1974) and later own [[1977) the Redford Theatre. They have lovingly restored the theatre ever since.

Sadly, one missing element of the theatre is the blade sign [[tall vertical marquee). This sign, above the entrance, but cantelevered from the roof, once soared about 50 feet above the theatre entranceway. But like many theatre blade signs, it was condemned by the city as a nuisance in the post WWII years and removed. This enormous sign could have been seen from quite a distance up and down Lahser Rd.

[eno]

The 2,051 seat Redford Theatre is one of the last surviving neighborhood theatres left in Detroit.

The 1928 built theatre was one of many that Detroit theatre impressario John Kunsky [[builder of the Capitol, Adams, Madison, Royal Oak, etc...) built during the golden 1920s.

Size wise, it is about the same size as the Detroit United Artists Theatre. Decoration wise, it is the last atmospheric theatre left in Detroit, built mainly in a "Japanese Atmospheric" style, which is a very rare style for an American theatre. In the auditorium, one has the feeling of being in a Japanese garden courtyard.

The Redford underwent some significant changes after December 7, 1941... when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and we got into WWII. The interior was changed to remove all vestiges of Japanese style. Luckily much of this was via paint.

Although the lobby sustained damage during the intervening years, a pair of chandeliers from downtown Detroit's Oriental Theatre, and now light up the mildly Asian styled theatre lobby.

The Barton Organ in the Redford was the theatre's saving grace... since it was what attracted the Motor City Theatre Organ Society [[MCTOS) to operate [[1974) and later own [[1977) the Redford Theatre. They have lovingly restored the theatre ever since.

Sadly, one missing element of the theatre is the blade sign [[tall vertical marquee). This sign, above the entrance, but cantelevered from the roof, once soared about 50 feet above the theatre entranceway. But like many theatre blade signs, it was condemned by the city as a nuisance in the post WWII years and removed. This enormous sign could have been seen from quite a distance up and down Lahser Rd.

A sign in the lobby stated occupancy was 1571 people.

[Gistok]

First of all... I'm an east sider.... What I stated as a seating count was the original count from opening back in 1928.

In some instances I know the seating count over the years... such as the Capitol Theatre [[Detroit Opera House). It started in 1922 at 3,384 seats [[although the owner John Kunsky boasted 4,250 seats).... and in 1960 it was reconfigured to 3,367. When MOT restored it, it was reconfigured to circa 2,700-2765... depending on what the performance type is.

In the case of the Redord... I only knew the opening seat count. Sounds like it went the way of the similar sized Detroit United Artists Theatre, which went from 2,070 to 2,012 to 1,588 seats by the time it closed in the 70s.

People are bigger than they used to be.... and seating reconfigurations are common.

Even NYC Radio City Music Hall... which boasted 6,000 seats when it opened in 1932... is now down to 5,888 seats! :-[[

[eno]

First of all... I'm an east sider.... What I stated as a seating count was the original count from opening back in 1928.

In some instances I know the seating count over the years... such as the Capitol Theatre [[Detroit Opera House). It started in 1922 at 3,384 seats [[although the owner John Kunsky boasted 4,250 seats).... and in 1960 it was reconfigured to 3,367. When MOT restored it, it was reconfigured to circa 2,700-2765... depending on what the performance type is.

In the case of the Redord... I only knew the opening seat count. Sounds like it went the way of the similar sized Detroit United Artists Theatre, which went from 2,070 to 2,012 to 1,588 seats by the time it closed in the 70s.

People are bigger than they used to be.... and seating reconfigurations are common.

Even NYC Radio City Music Hall... which boasted 6,000 seats when it opened in 1932... is now down to 5,888 seats! :-[[

The difference in seat totals is probably related to a change in seating configuration that made the rows wider on the main floor and much more comfortable to move through and allow leg room for those seated.

[Gistok]

I wish Masonic Temple would do likewise.... but they don't have the bucks...

[Gannon]

They never reconfigured the balcony at the Redford...the distance between seat back and the next row's bottom cushion was not even a foot! We had to sit spread-eagled, with gaps from the rounds of the backs providing 'just' enough knee room. But we are both quite trim yoga-ites, anyone with the modern American physique would have trouble getting up once down.

We both laughed when all we could do was stand and stretch during the intermission, but a few rows down one couple swing-danced to the organist's version of Rock Around the Clock. They were skinnier than us...LOL.


Cheers


btw, they gave me that 2000-plus estimate during the tour, too. Does the fire department only list the first floor?!

[Gistok]

LOL.... Gannon... I'm 6' 3".... and you just perfectly described my last experience at the Masonic!!

Also... due to "stepped" stadium seating in most balconies, it becomes much more expensive to try to reconfigure seating in a balcony.

Most old theatre main floor [[orchestra) seating is a gradual slope, and rearranging seating on a main floor therefore can be remediated by just spacing the seats farther back.

But this can't be done in a balcony, without some expensive rebuilding of the flooring.

[eno]

It makes sense that the big difference in seating capacity is resolved by adding the balcony seats to the main floor seating whose limit is stated in the lobby. Next time I go, and that will be for Arsenic And Old Lace, I'll search out the fire marshall's sign of balcony seating capacity.

[Gannon]

I think making main floor more open for larger customers...and then making it CLEAR this is their preferred seating...seems best anyways. Not too many big people want to climb stairs, either.

IMHO, there always should be preferred seating for those hard-of-hearing AND for those who wear hearing aids...those too stubborn to use assistance need to be in the very sweet spot where multiple speaker outputs converge, yet those who use aids need to be in the lowest volume/echo spots with the least bass response.

All of that is easily measurable...and would put them over-the-top with service.


I'd even rate the seats for best image and sound, too...and perhaps even price them accordingly, or offer the best ones for the biggest donors and supporters and volunteers, too.

Then they'd need ushers, though. In every aisle, like Fox.

Cheers

[eno]

It makes sense that the big difference in seating capacity is resolved by adding the balcony seats to the main floor seating whose limit is stated in the lobby. Next time I go, and that will be for Arsenic And Old Lace, I'll search out the fire marshall's sign of balcony seating capacity.

I went to the Redford Theatre on Saturday night for a screening of "Arsenic & Old Lace". There were about 400-500 people in attendance. In the outer lobby, there is a seating chart offering seats to be dedicated for $250 with a commemorative plate mounted onto the seat selected. The chart details seating available for dedication at 1571. This conforms with the Fire Marshall's sign designating capacity at 1571. On the Redford Theatre website, the advertisement for facility rental lists seating capacity at 1571. http://redfordtheatre.com/rental/