Era Ends - Lease, Too
Final Curtain at the Lyric?
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"August D. Nardoni, Sero Amusement Co. area manager, stands on the stage that spanned vaudeville to movies. Lyric Theater goes back to the turn of the century, now faces unknown future." |
When patrons left the old Lyric Theatre at 11:45 p.m. Sunday night, an era had ended.
It had begun around the turn of the century. No one knows the precise date.
The theatre and three adjacent structures housing an electric shop, antique shop and small hotel are owned by Zions Securities Corp.
Sero Amusement Co., of Los Angeles has been leasing the theatre on a month-to-month basis for the past five years. The lease was not renewed.
The final curtain for the Lyric?
Several Alternatives
Not necessarily, says Howard Dunn, manager of Zions Securities, real estate arm of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Zions is considering several alternatives: Continuing its role as a movie house, refurbishing it as a theatre for stage plays or musicals - or razing it altogether for a parking lot.
The Lyric is located at 132 S. State, right off Orpheum Place.
The theater was once called the Orpheum, says August D. Nardoni, Utah-Nevada manager, for Sero. Later it was called the "The Wilkes"
Scribbling on the Wall
The theatre had 1,100 seats. It has a high stage loft festooned with rope rigging. Clustered about the stage are the dressing rooms.
There's some scribbling on the wall of one: "Actors feed agents. Agents don't feed actors."
"Williams and Williams" signed their names Aug. 9, 1944. The Tau Moe Trio recorded its appearance on "29-6-47."
Team Appears
Fred and Adele Astaire appeared there on the stage, said Mr. Nardoni. So did a young Mickey Rooney and Sammy Davis Jr.
On the dressing room door of one room was a "NOTICE TO ALL ACTS."
| Theater | City |
|---|---|
| Promised Valley Playhouse | Salt Lake City |