Temple Theatre Saginaw MI - WaterWinterWonderland.com

Info Updates:

11/4/2003 - Web

Taking a bow as Temple reopens Sunday, November 2, 2003 July 28, 1927. A big day in Saginaws history. In the mid-summers heat, the majestic Temple Theatre opened as the regions premier movie and entertainment house. Nov. 7, 2003. Another big day -- as Saginaw and mid-Michigan welcomes the Temples grand return after years of uncertainty. Dr. Samuel H. Shaheen rolls out the red carpet with a superb cast of talent this weekend in a pair of opening events Friday and Saturday. Yet even with top entertainment -- including Saginaw native Brian dArcy James, a Tony nominee --on the playbill, the biggest star next weekend is the theater itself. Shaheen and his company SSP Associates have painstakingly restored the historic gem this summer to its original grandeur, with a few nods to modern sensibilities. The $7 million investment in downtown has brought new life to a jewel that was in real risk, as recently as a year ago, of falling to the times. Its ceiling was water damaged and another Michigan winter, Shaheen says, would have ended its 75-year run. Saginaw would have lost an irreplaceable treasure. Downtown would have suffered another blow and dug another empty hole in its soul. Not so. The main theaters ceiling and walls are glistening again, faithfully restored and enhanced by Conrad Schmitt Co. Experts restored its original seats and the chandaliered lobby awaits the community. Workers also installed a new sound system, roofing, wiring, heating and air conditioning. All in all, new life for a gem that is poised to last another generation. Next weekend is a big moment in Saginaws future, what organizers hope is the launch of an exciting period of renewal and hope, with the Temple joining the Saginaw County Event Center, as downtown destinations. Tickets to the Friday event, a fund-raiser for the Field Neurosciences Institute, are going fast -- even at $125. The black-tie optional night features dArcy James and friends in a fitting bow to the Temples glorious past -- vaudeville, Broadway, Tin Pan Alley, Big Band -- glitter and lights. The nights agenda includes food, refreshments and tours of the restored ballroom and banquet room at the adjacent three-story Elf Khurafeh Shrine. Saturdays evening, "Saginaw on Stage 2003," offers an eclectic lineup of homegrown musical talent. The three-hour show is sponsored by the Saginaw Rotary Club to benefit the Mid-Michigan Childrens Museum and the Saginaw Riverfront Project, two equally worthwhile endeavors to Saginaws future. The Saginaw News is among the co-sponsors. Tickets to Saturdays extravaganza range in price from $50 to $10. The more expensive front-balcony and main floor-seats are taken, but organizers say good seats remain. The nights fare includes oldies, folk, country, jazz, Latin, blues and Celtic music. Next weekend marks the beginning of the new beginning in downtown. Combined with the newly renovated Saginaw County Event Center, which marks its grand reopening later this month with Bill Cosby, Saginaw is re-emerging as an entertainment center for the region. The Temple reopening couldnt have happened without the communitys support and, of course, the crucial investment of the Shaheen family. Nov. 7 and Nov. 8, 2003, are dates Saginaw Valley residents should remember years from now. We hope they also remember who made it possible. The Temple wasnt lost. It will remain a grand presence downtown and wow generations. More importantly, its reopening next weekend marks a time of hope and excitement for downtown and the regions future. We wouldnt miss it. And the word on ticket sales is others arent going to either. Take a bow, Dr. Shaheen. Take a bow, Saginaw. They are grandly deserved. © 2003 Saginaw News

HomeMovie TheatersTemple Theatre

Temple Theatre - Saginaw MI