Senate Theater and Old Crains builidng

**leady106** · May-08-11, 11:21 AM

I drove by the Senate Theater and noticed that is no longer for sale and is staging organ concerts again. Have they ever shown silent movies [[with the theater organ) in the recent past? I wish that will become part of their event schedule. It would be nice if the Senate would show Spanish languarge movies [[with english subtitles) on a regular basis. Maybe the Burton Theater people could rent the theater to continue their movie series until they find a pernament home [[maybe the Fine Arts on Woodward).

Also, I noticed that the oringial Crain's Building on Jefferson and the Chrysler Service drive is being updated with a new glass facade. Is anyone aware of this project and who is to occuply the building?

**Rocko** · May-08-11, 12:13 PM

Yes, the Detroit Theatre Organ Society made the decision to take the Senate off the market, and is working hard to do much restoration work on the building and facility. I commend them for making this move to keep the historic Fisher organ intact and in the city of Detroit, and for taking this step toward responsible historic preservation of their facility. In my opinion, the possible move to Ann Arbor or elsewhere outside the city was/would have been a very bad course to pursue.

Check out their website at http://www.dtos.org/, then click the link to the newsletter to learn more about the work they are doing to fix up both the organ and the building.

I don't think they can screen movie in the current arrangement at the Senate, as the organ presently occupies the majority of the stage, and there is no room for a screen. If you want to see silent movies with organ accompaniment, take a look into the Redford Theatre: http://redfordtheatre.com/

**Gistok** · May-08-11, 05:08 PM

Thanks for the info Rocko... I was worried about the unique Fisher organ leaving Detroit.

The problem with the Senate has been... location... location... location. It is in a rough west side area on Michigan Avenue... and coaxing folks down there has been the biggest problem [[similar to the Masonic).

I hope that they do a good job of marketing, and provide secure parking for patrons.

The fellow who is "majority" owner of the Fisher Organ was interested in getting it out of Detroit... either to Ann Arbor [[where he lives), or to a suburban location. However... moving the Fisher Organ to a "Chucky Cheese" type building will do nothing but hurt the wonderful sound of this one of a kind instrument.

I do know that inquiries had been made about moving the organ to the Detroit Opera House... which has the largest Organ grilles of any theatre in Michigan... and who's original Publix 1 Wurlitzer organ [[not one of the larger Wurlitzers) provided the best organ sound in Detroit, even better than the much larger Fox 4/36 Wurlitzer [[one of the 7 largest theatre organs in the world, the Fisher Organ being #8). However, the DTOS wanted unrestricted access to the organ at any time, and that was not acceptable to the DOT folks... so those talks didn't go very far. Also the problem with what to do with the organ console [[in the orchestra pit) during operas was an issue.

I would prefer to keep the organ in the Senate Theatre [[with an increase in attendance)... because it appears that the alternative would be for the organ to leave the city altogether... and could be the demise of a rarity in Detroit... a surviving historic neighborhood theatre.

**kryptonite** · May-13-11, 07:24 AM

A good article about the decision to keep the Senate Theater open was in today's Detroit News. A concert is scheduled for Sunday 3:00.

http://detnews.com/article/20110513/...es-of-new-life

**Danny** · May-13-11, 08:11 AM

Good for you all DTOS, that could start by buying old classic movies and raise some money to rehab the building just the Redford Theater.

**Eric_c** · May-13-11, 09:46 AM

I agree that the Burton people and the Senate people should be talking!

**Gistok** · May-13-11, 02:21 PM

Eric_c... maybe our resident theatre organ expert 56Packman can chime in here [[pun intended)... and explain the relationship between the American Theatre Organ Society [[ATOS)... and the Detroit Theatre Organ Society [[DTOS).

Heres repeat of the Cinema Treasures page on the Senate....
http://cinematreasures.org/theater/2611/

So it seems that there no longer is any movie projection equipment in the Senate, thus making it a Music Hall only [[unlike the Redford where the Barton Organ accompanies movies). Too bad that they can't get their hands on some old functioning projection equipment and add movies as well. [[Is there enough of a market for both the Redford and Senate providing the same genre of entertainment?)

**stasu1213** · May-13-11, 07:16 PM

I had noticed work being done on the crain building also. I had noticed work being done on the old theatre building on Jefferson near Chalmers. Does anyone know what is going on there?

**Rocko** · May-14-11, 09:19 PM

Great to see that article in the Detroit News promoting them staying in the Senate, fixing it up, and giving concerts! I hope they get a good showing for the Concert tomorrow!