Theatre's grand legacy dates to 1924 By LORI DUNN of the Gazette Staff Silent movies were on the rise everywhere, including Texarkana, in 1924. As the days of vaudeville declined, the Saenger Amusement Co., owners of three other theaters in Texarkana, decided to build a new theater bearing the name "Saenger." The majestic building would include a motion picture screen as well as a live performance stage. The building, designed by Emil Weil, was constructed by Brashears Construction Co. of Texarkana for about $300,000 and it took about 17 months to complete. The theater opened its doors on the evening of Nov.18, 1924, with a play called "Foot Loose," starring Margaret Anglin and William Faversham. The first picture would play the following evening and was D.W. Griffith's "America," which was succeeded by a congratulatory telegram from Mr. Griffith. For the next 15 years, the Saenger's patrons enjoyed top performers of the era including John Drew Barrymore, Douglas Fairbanks, Will Rogers and Annie Oakley. "It had to have been a great experience. There were some internationally known folks coming to Texarkana. There were no second-rate acts. If you wanted the best of the best, you went to the Saenger," said Horace Shipp, chairman of the Historical Resources Commitee. There was already a Saenger Theatre in Texarkana before 1924. It was located across the street from the current one where there is now a parking lot and the Scott Joplin mural. But the one built in 1924 was bigger and better. "They went on to not just build one that was great but they went the extra mile. From a social and entertainment standpoint it was the center of what was going on. It was the largest theater, it was the most attractive and it was the most accommodating. It went beyond being attractive. It was the most magnificent of all the Saenger facilities," Shipp said. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s an annual "follies" based on New York's Ziegfield's show was produced by a local businessman, W.A. McCartney. This revue used local talent, providing one of the few occasions that drew the citizens of both cities together. "The Saenger, from the time it was built and opened, has always been recognized as a crown jewel in the community," said Ruth Ellen Whitt, executive director of the Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council. The Saenger was known as an opera house and at one time there were 11 of them in Texarkana, Shipp said. "That shows how great a demand there was for entertainment. People in our town liked the arts and singing," he said. Many early patrons were people staying in nearby hotels who were passing through town on the railroad. "They liked to be entertained too," Shipp said. The theater was an impressive addition to Texarkana both outside and inside. Elaborate windows were set halfway up the building between columns set into the wall. The decor included Grecian architecture, ornate paintings and gold leaf trim. The legend is that the faces of angels and babies in laurel leaf motif were sculpted in the likeness of the architect's child. Legend also has it that the beam used to support the balcony was supposed to have been the biggest piece of steel ever seen in Texarkana. "Half the town turned out at the railroad to watch when they brought it in," Shipp said. The Saenger was unusual in that it was the first theater in the city to have a pipe organ instead of a piano. Arthur and Eva Hardin managed the theater and Eva Hardin played the organ. A concession stand, which became a curse, was added. Food and drinks were spilled and ruined the carpets and seats. In 1931, the Saenger was purchased by the Paramount-Public Corp. and the theater became known as the "Paramount." Throughout the 1930s and 1940s motion pictures flourished and the theater attracted large movie-going crowds. "This was an era when focal points of activity were the Grim and the Paramount," said Les Eugene Abrahamson, a former patron of the theater. During World War II, there was a nationwide radio broadcast for war bonds with Orson Welles as emcee and producer. "It was a big deal because the whole shindig was broadcast on NBC and in Mexico and Canada and it was all from the stage of the little old Paramount," Abrahamson said. The theater was also the site of several premieres, including "Papa's Delicate Condition," with Jackie Gleason, "The Legend of Boggy Creek," and Charles Pierce's "Bootlegger." "The Paramount offered a variety of fine movies and we were in regular attendance. There were a number of theaters, as many as half a dozen, but I would still say the Paramount ranked at the top," Abrahamson said. "They held their own, at least that's where my wife and I went," he said. Abrahamson remembers sitting in the balcony of the Paramount with his wife and baby even after the balcony had been officially closed. "I guess we were privileged, they put us up there in case the baby cried," he said. The Paramount also had Saturday matinees for children, free passes for firefighters and police officers, double-feature cartoons, newsreels and Saturday midnight shows. The popularity of the theater began to wane as the popularity of television began to increase. Changing lifestyles after World War II brought the shopping center and drive-in movies, both of which contributed to the deterioration of downtown development. The Paramount went to second- then third-rate movies before closing its doors in March 1977. Its loss was felt deeply by longtime patrons. "It was like I had lost a leg," Abrahamson said. Shipp believes there were several factors involved in the closing of the Paramount. "The culture changed. In the early days, that (theater) was the best and most available entertainment. But times changed. "There was the freedom of the automobile and shopping centers in the '50s and '60s. Television came along and when professional sports went on TV, that half of the audience went with it. There was just to much competition," Shipp said. Restoration brought back former glory By LORI DUNN of the Gazette Staff It took a year to do but the restoration that made the Perot Theatre the building it is today was worth the time and effort. An empty building with about 50 years of history received a new lease on life when the renovations were complete. "We are so lucky. When I speak to people about the history of Texarkana, I show so many scenes that are just parking lots now that in the past were magnificent buildings. But I show this (photograph of the Perot Theatre) and say this is a community success story," said Horace Shipp, chairman of the Historical Resources Committee. "It could have died but the community didn't allow it to die," he said. Les Eugene Abrahamson, a longtime patron of the theater since it was the Paramount, believes the restoration of the theater was a monumental event for the community. "It was one of the most significant things to happen in Tearkana's history ... if it had not been restored it would have deteriorated and eventually been another parking lot," he said. The theater's second chance began in December 1977, when the city of Texarkana, Texas, announced plans to purchase the theater for $19,000 as a part of the its Comprehensive Downtown Development Plan. Dr. Candy Stevens Smith was assistant to City Manager Stuart Bach at the time of the restoration and was named project coordinator. "He was the one with the foresight," Smith said of Bach. Smith immediately began writing grant applications. A grant was obtained from the National Endowment for the Arts to hire the Austin firm of Bell, Klein and Hoffman, specialists in historic preservation. About $1.2 million was raised from the Texas State Historical Commission, the Economic Development Administration, the Housing and Community Development Administration and Texarkana citizens. "We were still very shy of what we needed," Smith said. In the spring of 1979, Josh Morriss Jr., representing Texarkana, discussed the restoration of the theater with H. Ross Perot and his sister Bette, natives of Texarkana who now live in Dallas. H. Ross Perot made his fortune in electronics in Dallas. "We went to the Perots because the theater was something that was near and dear to them," Smith said. The project was discussed in terms of a memorial to their parents, Gabriel Ross Perot and Lulu May Perot. The Perot children and grandchildren believed that restoring the theater would be a project that their parents would have approved of and assisted in the funding by donating about $800,000 toward the program. During the next two years, Bette Perot worked closely with Texarkana to see that the restoration, when completed ,would fully recapture the original beauty of the theater. A total of $2.4 million was spent on the restoration and the Perot Theatre has been designated a national and state historical landmark and has been placed in the National Register of Historic Places. During the year of restoration, professionals refurbished every inch, beginning with the original carpet in the lobby. The carpet, with its blue and gray floral design, was worn badly after 57 years. But under a stairwell, they found a piece that looked like new. The hand-woven wool carpet could not be duplicated by United States carpet makers. Mel Kusin, carpet contractor for the Perot Theatre restoration, sent a sample of the original to House of Carpets in London for matching and weaving. The present Wilson carpet in the theater looks just as the carpet did in the 1920s. Dorothy Lawrence of Texarkana was responsible for the selection of colors, furnishings and materials used in restoring the theater. The entire building was rewired, the plumbing was repaired and new heating systems were installed. The stage area was completely refinished and new curtains were added. The orchestra pit was also enlarged to accommodate 20 to 24 musicians, rather than the original eight to 10. All of the light fixtures on the ceiling and the sconces on the side wall are original but have been rebuilt and rewired. The large crystal chandelier in the foyer is a reproduction The bulk of all the restoration efforts were on the inside. The completed work on the outside was entirely structural. The old neon sign was removed but no other outside changes were needed to bring back the impressive appearance of the Neo-Italian Renaissance style building. The theater now seats 1,606 people-24 in the four boxes, 750 on the main floor and 832 in the balcony. In November 1979, the Texarkana, Texas, City Council renamed the theater the Perot Theatre in honor of the Perot family. "For me it was a wonderful project to be involved in. It was a lot of fun to watch it progress," Smith said. "It is a grand structure that is a functional part of our community. It's a gift that stands as a memorial to the Perots," Shipp said. For Perot family, theatre a fitting tribute By LORI DUNN of the Gazette Staff H. Ross Perot never knew his brother. Gabriel Ross Perot Jr. died in 1927, three years before Ross Perot was born. But the stories passed down from his parents have helped keep Gabriel alive through the years. The story about how Gabriel would dance while The Salvation Army Band played was a family favorite. "On Saturday nights during the Depression, people would come to Texarkana from all the surrounding towns, Garland City, Ashdown, everywhere," said Ross Perot. "They would stand in the streets and talk to each other. The Salvation Army Band would play. He would just dance his heart out and they would give him a tambourine to play." On Saturday, April 28, during the "Jump, Jive and Jamfest" celebration to mark the 20th anniversary of the Perot Theatre, a statue of Gabriel Ross Perot Jr. will be unveiled inside the Perot Theatre. The statue will depict Gabriel waving. Another statue of Gabriel playing the tambourine will be in front of the new Salvation Army shelter when it is completed. "My parents were devoted to him as long as they were alive. My sister Bette and I heard many great stories about him," Perot said. A portrait of Perot's mother, Lulu May Perot, already hangs inside the theater. "I thought it would be nice to have it (the statue) in front of mother's portrait. It would mean a great deal to my mother," Perot said. There is a reason why his father's portrait is not hanging inside the building. "He didn't like having his picture made. He said he only wanted to be hanged once. He would have wanted mother's picture hanging up though," Perot said. The Perot Theatre was named in honor of Perot's parents after he and his sister helped pay for the theater's renovation It was a project Perot was proud to be a part of because he has fond memories of the theater and Texarkana. Perot is best known for being a successful Dallas businessman and running for president in 1992 and 1996, but he was born in Texarkana and grew up on Olive Street. He attended Texarkana College before enrolling in the U.S. Naval Academy. His earliest years coincided with the Great Depression and he began working when he was only 7. His jobs included selling Christmas cards, delivering newspapers and breaking and selling horses. A common leisure activity was visiting the theater and Perot's family went often. "One of my favorite memories of the theater is my parents always sat in the same two seats in the northeast corner. If we had a problem, they wanted us to know where they were. If we went with them we sat in the next two seats," he said. Perot is happy with the theater's renovations. "They have done a five-star job with the theater," he said. He believes it is a fitting tribute to two people who influenced him greatly. "We had great parents. We were born rich because of our parents," he said. Organ final step to complete restoration By LORI DUNN of the Gazette Staff The Perot Theatre has had a successful 20 years but many believe it will not be completely restored until an important part of it returns. The Perot Theatre Organ Committee hopes to have the theater's original organ installed by early 2003. The organ, installed in 1924, was one of several theater organs built between 1910 and the early 1930s. Of that number, only 77 exist today in their original theaters. The organ from the Saenger is in storage in the Perot's basement. Members of the organ committee believe the instrument's restoration will be beneficial in several ways. Musically, the organ represents a tangible link to an era of theater music history in America. On these instruments, organists played the popular music of the day and often accompanied vaudeville shows in the absence of an orchestra. The instrument will attract national attention to the theater and this community. "It will put our city on a level with major cities whose theaters are completely restored with original theatre organs," said Ruth Ellen Whitt, executive director of the Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council. The reinstallation of the organ will complete the final stage of restoration of the theater. "Theaters and pipe organs go hand in glove. It will be like giving the building back its soul," said consultant Jeff Weiller, an expert on organs. The organ sat in the theater until the 1960s when it was sold and the new owner moved it to Dallas, said Remica Gray, chairman of the organ committee. About two years ago, the owner decided to donate the organ back to the Perot. His only wish was he would someday be able to play it there. The organ's pipes will have to be restored and the lacquer will have to be stripped, among other things, Gray said. Despite the work, Gray is excited about the project. "Not too many theaters have their own original instruments. The fact that it will complete our theater is very exciting. I'm thrilled," Gray said. There are other plans for the Perot's future as well. Another exciting season and plans for another festival are already under way. "We've had a real positive response to this year's season and we hope to repeat it. We are planning on having several Broadway shows," said Whitt. The season begins in October 2001 and will run through April 2002. The season will conclude with the second annual "Jump, Jive and Jamfest." The Perot should also be the center of many more festivals in the future. "As the Community Cultural Plan has taken shape during the recent months, the ideas for spring celebration in Texarkana have only grown. TECAP envisions a multiweek time in the spring in Texarkana, when multiple organizations might engage in their own activities, which packaged together would give both residents and visitors unbeatable reasons to celebrate spring in Texarkana," said Whitt. TECAP, Texarkana Education, Culture and Arts Partnership, is made up of organizations whose primary objective is promoting arts, culture and education in the Texarkana area. TECAP began in October 1999 as a loosely structured partnership and in December 2000 incorporated as a nonprofit to best accomplish the Community Cultural Plan. In March, the group released an outline of the plan. The first goal is to develop downtown as a district with a wealth of cultural activities and historic resources by marking the boundaries of downtown with colorful banners, creating a central green space as a focal point, creating a signature art piece and encouraging the restoration of buildings. The second goal is to develop a way of celebrating the community's heritage by incorporating themes such as the railroad history into objects like benches and lamp posts, uncovering brick streets and developing more festivals. The third goal is to develop the creative capital and cultural resources of Texarkana by attracting artists to the community, keeping them in the community creating more performance opportunities and creating educational endowments for cultural resources. Whitt stresses that TECAP can succeed because it's a partnership. "We see a Texarkana that is characterized by connections rather than divisions ... we entered into Community Cultural Planning with the understanding that no one sector of our community-whether nonprofit, government or private business-could realize this vision on its own," she said. The Perot Theatre 2001: 20 years new By LORI DUNN of the Gazette Staff On May 2, 1981, the Perot Theatre celebrated its grand opening with street dances, picnics and special dinners. The Dallas Symphony Orchestra performed and big-name performers have been coming ever since. Cary Grant, Hal Holbrook and Burl Ives are just a handful of top stars who have graced the stage. The Perot has also been designated a national and state historical landmark and placed in the National Register of Historic Places. Much of the Perot's sucess has gone hand and hand with the Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council Inc. (TRAHC). Management of the Perot was taken over by TRAHC in 1980. TRAHC's role grew dramatically as it began drawing major performers to Texarkana and the theater began gaining an international reputation as a highly desirable place to perform and as a major center for the performing arts. "The Perot being managed by an arts council has colored the kinds of programs that have been brought in. TRAHC is very mission based and programming has always followed TRAHC's mission in exposing the community to the arts," said Executive Director Ruth Ellen Whitt. TRAHC was formed as the result of a community needs evaluation by the local Junior League. TRAHC was chartered in 1978 in Texas and initial funding was from the Junior League, the cities of Texarkana, Ark., and Texas, the Arkansas Arts Council and the Texas Commission on the Arts. TRAHC now also operates on individual, corporate and foundation donations and earned income. The purpose of TRAHC was to "enrich the human experience in the region by increasing public awareness of, exposure to, and participation in the arts and humanities in their many diverse forms." Since 1981, more than 821,741 patrons have attended more than 1,160 events in the Perot Theatre ranging from the Prague Symphony Orchestra to the Phillip Glass Ensemble, from the Vienna Boys Choir to Albert McNeill Jubilee Singers, from the New York City Opera to "Annie" and "Chorus Line," from "The Immigrant" to "Much Ado About Nothing," Moscow Classical Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre and Kodo. TRAHC has also provided the community with more than just events at the Perot. In its early years, TRAHC presented the visual arts in various community venues. In 1985 TRAHC acquired the U.S. District Courthouse from Bowie County for use as an arts center. The $1.6 million expansion of the 1909-era building into an arts center enabled expansion of both the visual arts and arts education programs. Since the reopening of the arts center in 1992, TRAHC has annually presented a 12-month schedule of touring exhibits and exhibitions. With the only high-security art gallery between Little Rock and Dallas, the Regional Arts Center is a frequent stop for visitors interested in seeing high-quality art exhibitions in the area. Arts education has also been a priority since the organization's beginning. Since 1989, TRAHC has committed itself to developing and implementing ArtsSmart, a comprehensive arts education program designed to help classroom teachers effectively integrate the arts into their curriculum. TRAHC's education programs also include performances for schools in the Perot Theatre and on school campuses. In 1994, TRAHC experienced financial challanges precipitated by a combination of factors including unanticipated cost overruns from the Arts Center renovation. In order to meet the financial challanges the organization underwent restructuring, involving both staff and program. During the year of transition, TRAHC committed anew to connecting and communicating with the residents of the community to better serve and involve the entire community and local artists in particular. As a result of TRAHC's added value to residents, the community has responded with record- breaking support that continues to the present time. "Jump, Jive and Jamfest' Saturday By LORI DUNN of the Gazette Staff It's been the Perot Theatre for 20 years, but its history goes back a lot longer. That history will be recognized Friday, April 27, and Saturday, April 28, as the Perot Theatre turns 20 and the Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council celebrates its anniversary with several events including the dedication of a sculpture by the Perot family. The celebration is called the "Jump, Jive and Jamfest." The festivities should include something for everyone, said Ruth Ellen Whitt, TRAHC executive director. At 8 p.m. April 27 David Clayton Thomas and Blood, Sweat and Tears will play at the Perot. Tickets are available at the Perot Theatre Box Office, by telephone and the Internet at www. TexarkanaTickets.com. Tickets range from $5 to $35. At 7:30 p.m. April 28, the theater will play host to ragtime music from composer Scott Kirby and some production numbers from the Texarkana Repertory Theater Company's "Oliver." Tickets for Saturday's festivities range between $5 and $30. Other activities, including more live music, will continue throughout the weekend and these events will be free. The culmination of the events will be the dedication of a sculpture of Gabriel Ross Perot Jr. on April 28 at the Perot Theatre by former presidential candidate and Texarkana native H. Ross Perot and his family. The sculpture will have a permanent place inside the theater. ArtSparK, the green space next to the Regional Arts Center designated for public art and festivals, will also be dedicated April 28. Members of TRAHC are also looking for special anecdotes, memories, photos, programs or any other memorabilia of the theater at any time in its 77-year history. Historic items will be returned or may be donated to the Perot Theatre archives. Anyone with information may contact Horace Shipp at 773-6145, e-mail to shipp@txkusa.org or mail to TRAHC at P.O. Box 1171, Texarkana, Texas, 75504-1171. The theater originally opened in 1924 as the Saenger Amusement Co.'s "Gateway to the West" Theater. The building was eventually used as a movie theater that closed in 1977. It was fully restored in 1980 by the Perot Foundation. H. Ross Perot and his sister Bette contributed much of the money for the restoration in memory of their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Gabriel Ross Perot. As a result, the Texas-side City Council named the theater after the Perot family. The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.