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11/20/2013 - Darla Moore
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The Broadway Theatre was purchased from Mr. Carnahan and the other gentleman in the late 1920's or early 30's by Mr. Lee Ward and his brother, Mr. Theo Ward. At the time it was the last vaudville house in outstate Michigan and did vaudville 4 nights a week and silent movies 3 nights a week.
Lee Ward's wife, Louise, played piano for the silent movies. I'm not sure at what point Lee Ward became sole owner or the circumstances. I married Lee's son, Kent, in 1971 and we purchased the theatres after the death of Lee in 1977 or 78. The Broadway, with it's balcony, could seat over 625 patrons.
There is actually a full stage behind the screen and there is a dressing area under the stage. While Kent and I owned the theatre we occasionally presented a live entertainment show. Two that I remember were The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Cheech & Chong. In 1986 Kent and I had to file bankruptcy and the theatres reverted to the estate and were eventually sold to the Loeck's organization.
The Loeck's maintained them as theatres untill they built a larger multiplex in Mt. Pleasant and a group from Mt. Pleasant organized as Friends of the Broadway, name may not be exact, and they purchased the Broadway for a community theatre and meeting place. Because the Loeck's organization installed automated projection on the lower level instead of in the projection booth above the balcony the seating capacity was lowered to just over 400 seats.
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1/29/2011 - Robert B
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Great photos, thanks for the memories I attended the Broadway matinee every Saturday from 1955-1957, watching great movie serials like The Monster and the Ape which ran for 15 episodes and featured Ken Morgan battling The Metallegan Man robot and a guy in an ape suit. I couldn't wait to see how Ken would get out of the dilemmas he always wound up in at the close of the past week's episode Also watched Davy Crockett (the line to buy tickets on opening night stretched all around the block) and that night at age 8 put my arm around a girl (Jill) for the first time in my life.
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12/18/2003 - Box Office Magazine
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October 1959 - Lee L. Ward is reopening the Broadway at Mt. Pleasant.
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2/22/2003 - WaterWinterWonderland
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The Broadway was originally known as the Vaudette Theatre and was owned and operated by Charles A. Carnaham and James McCabe (see picture below). The theatre is now being used to present plays and music.
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