Local group works to save the Rodgers

Restoring the 70-year-old Rodgers Theatre to its former glory is being undertaken by a group of local citizens.

“That is the ultimate goal, is to get it back to where it was,” said Wally Duncan, president of the Rodgers Theatre Inc.

No longer a movie palace, the Rodgers has become a venue for live entertainment. Along with musical acts, the Stage Company also calls the Rodgers home, presenting plays and musicals with local talent.

Because it was built as a movie theater, the stage at the Rodgers is small at 17 feet deep. There is no backstage area, the rooms behind the stage house the building’s mechanical equipment, and the areas offstage on either side are hallways to the emergency exits.

“It was really not designed for live performances,” Duncan said.

A long-range plan would utilize the space that were once offices and storefronts, Duncan said.

First, the building needs a new roof.

RTI received a $336,000 grant to fix the three different roofs atop the building but it came with a matching requirement of $45,000.

“It all starts with the roof,” Duncan said. “We’re going to get the roof done this summer and then we can try to shore that up and get it fixed then work on the actual marquee itself.”

The iconic tower above the marquee was removed last summer to begin repairs.

Duncan said there is not a specific target date on when the 36-foot, 2-inch tall tower will return.

“Our thinking is it makes more sense to get the roof fixed before we get the tower back on, so we’ve kind of waited on that,” Duncan said. “In the meantime, we have worked on the tower.”

A lot of the lateral pieces were corroded and had to be replaced, Duncan said, so the structure of the tower is now sound. It still needs to be sand blasted and painted.

Atop the tower is a stainless steel glove-shaped ornament that once had a red neon beacon.

Getting the tower to look as it did in 1949 may be difficult because originally the tower was covered with 3/8-inch thick corrugated glass. In all, 1 1/2 tons of decorative glass was used to cover the tower, according to reports at the time of the theater’s opening.

“That’s a challenge,” Duncan said. “They don’t make that glass anymore so you have to try to find some salvage glass or get some made.

“We’re still deciding how we’re going to do that. That’s still in the works.”

The majority of the RTI board wants it to look as it did the day it opened and be as authentic as possible, Duncan said.

“That’s a great thing, but it certainly involves a lot of money,” he added.

To help pay for the repairs of the tower, RTI started a campaign last year for people to sponsor the letters that spell out Rodgers on the tower for $2,500 each. Four of the seven letters were sold with the O, E and R still available, Duncan said.

The fundraising for the roof has exceeded $35,000 with just about $10,000 left to raise.

“People have been very generous and responsive to our effort,” Duncan said. “We’re just asking for a continued effort, one last push, to get us over the top.”

The roof has been bad “for years,” Duncan said, with leaks leading to mold issues and water damage.

“Once we have the structure solidified, we can go forward with some renovations on the inside,” Duncan said.

Among them are fixing the ceiling tiles and seats in the auditorium. The electrical system needs to be upgraded as well as the restrooms.

Outside, the damaged part of the marquee is also on the list of repairs. The bottom part of the red and yellow marquee on Pine Street was hit by a truck turning onto Broadway. The roof of the marquee also leaks, causing damage to the ceiling below near the ticket booth.

“We want to fix the marquee,” Duncan said. “That’s one thing people always say, ‘when are you going to fix that marquee? It’s an eyesore.’”

RTI, which was formed in 2001, has a lease with the owners, Butler County, to maintain the building

Previous improvements to the building include lighting, carpeting and doors, a renovation of the concession stand, updates to the HVAC and plumbing. The auditorium was also restored to its original configuration in 2008 after being split to feature two screens.

The group maintains a website, www.rodgerstheatre.org , and Facebook page.

Along with Duncan, current RTI board members include Rusty Van Praag, who serves as vice president, Dennis Avery is secretary and Paul McWilliams is treasurer. Bradley Chronister, Ed DeGaris, Steve Fuchs, Amanda Gowen, Mike Ketcherside, Larry Kimbrow, Kayla Mcarty, Tom Rankin and Kim Wilson are also on the board of directors for the group.