Poplar Bluff celebrates Rodgers Theatre's 70th anniversary

The Rodgers Theatre 70th Anniversary was celebrated on Saturday with tours of the theater, live music, food, games, and other festivities for community members to enjoy the history of the theater.

Dozens of Poplar Bluff natives come to celebrate the anniversary of the Rodgers and to reminisce years of attending the theater to enjoy films.

On Friday night, the theater showed the first movie to be premiered at the Rodgers Theatre on June 1, 1949, “Red Canyon.” Those who were in attendance in 1949 and again on Friday evening were VIPs to the showing. The individuals received anniversary T-shirts and Christmas ornaments.

One of the VIPs, Don Robertson, described his experience as a 12-year-old attending the premiere in 1949. He explained that he went into the theater that evening with a quarter, got in for 10 cents and used the rest to buy candy, popcorn, and soda.

Others gave many different stories of experiences they had throughout the years of the theater’s operation.

Clark Allen, director of Poplar Bluff Parks and Recreation, said some of his experiences coming to the Rodgers Theatre through the 1960s and the 1970s.

“In the 1960s, my parents, siblings and I would go to the theater almost every other week,” Allen said. “The theater was always a fun place to go to. I thought the coolest part was the ticket booth being outside. It’s a small feature but something that made the experience memorable.”

Allen described some of the movies he watched at the theater.

“One of the most memorable movie experiences I had was seeing the first ‘Star Wars’ movie at the Rodgers.” Allen said. “I also remember going to see ‘The Exorcist’ in the ’70s. I still remember watching people leave the movie because of how scary it was.”

Another Poplar Bluff native who enjoyed many years of going to the theater, Larry Mizell, talked about his favorite memories of going to the Rodgers Theatre.

“Coming to the movies and sitting in the balcony was such a memorable experience for me,” Mizell said. “This was the number one theater in Poplar Bluff and there were many theaters in the area.”

Mizell continued by recalling his favorite experience of the theater.

“One experience I will never forget is viewing the first 3D movie shown at the Rodgers,” Mizell said. “I came to the theater with my parents to see ‘Flaming Arrow’ in 3D and it was amazing.”

Mizell also explained his views on the reconstruction of the Rodgers and why he believed it is so important for the community.

“This theater is a huge part of the history of Poplar Bluff,” Mizell said. “A lot of entertainment for a lot of people happened here and for it to go back to its original look would be amazing. It would be the grandest theater from St. Louis to Memphis like it once was.”

The theater still requires many renovations but has made much progress in reconstructing it back to its 1949 look.

Rusty VanPraag, board member of the Rodgers Theatre, Inc., explained the facility has acquired damage over decades of use and specifically water damage which has caused the primary need of the theater to be repairing the roof. RTI received a $339,000 grant to repair the water damaged roof that featured a matching requirement of $45,000.

One of the next projects for the Rodgers Theatre to undergo is the reconstruction of the marquee.

“We plan to rebuild the marquee to its original look,” VanPraag said. “We plan to use real glass custom-made to look as close to the original tower that was on top of the marquee in 1949.”

VanPraag explained that this project would take approximately $15,000 and would be finished around the spring of 2020.

The theatre does accept donations and any assistance that could be given. To donate or to see how to help the theater’s repair process, go online to www.rodgerstheatre.org or contact Brent Davis at 573-429-0416.

Amber Hornbeck provided information for this story.