75th Anniversary of Municipal Auditorium.
Seventy-five
years ago on Nov. 11, 3,000 people gathered in gloomy weather
on a day declared a legal holiday by the mayor to witness a new,
handsome edifice on Grand Avenue—the Municipal Auditorium.
Designed by
internationally known Shreveport architects Samuel G. Weiner and
Seymour Van Os, the auditorium was built by the City of Shreveport
and dedicated to the local patriots of the world war when it opened
in 1929 on what was then known as Armistice Day. “Surely
those heroes must smile down today and say that it was not in
vain,” reads a Baird Co. ad that ran in The Shreveport Times
on the day of the opening.
Dignitaries
and the general public will again gather on that day this year
for a re-dedication of the Municipal. It will be celebrated with
an event that will have broad appeal and take visitors back in
time with a World War I uniform display, antique cars, paperboys,
horse drawn carriages, cigarette girls, cartoonist, palm reader,
magician, brothel scene, live music, silent auction and “faux
famous” characters (Elvis Presley and Minnie Pearl) mingling
with the crowd.
Cameras are
encouraged, said Teresa Micheels, chair of the 75th event. Mary
Ellen Hoffman is chair of the re-dedication.
Items obtained
for the auction include a football autographed by Marco Rivera,
lineman for the Green Bay Packers (2002 Pro Bowl), a private formal
dinner for two on the stage of the Municipal, a Waterford crystal
commemorative LSU national championship football from Lee Michael’s,
an Elvis Presley figurine phone, a watch, a $250 photo session
from Skipworth Photography, an autographed picture of Maria Shriver,
a Shell gas card, golf caps and Texaco die cast vehicles.
Tickets will
be available with coupons prior to the event for $3, a $2 savings
through Friends of the Municipal Auditorium board members and
75th anniversary committee members and on Saturdays at the museum.
Tickets will be $5 at the door.
Business
After Hours, a monthly Shreveport Chamber of Commerce event, will
begin at 5 p.m. prior to the re-dedication, with formal ceremonies
taking place at 6:30 p.m. and the whole event ending at 11 p.m.
The Times and the Holiday Inn Downtown are sponsors of Business
After Hours.
Proceeds
from the event will assist the Friends of the Municipal Auditorium,
a nonprofit, member-based organization incorporated in 2000, dedicated
to preserving the unique architectural, cultural and historical
heritage of the auditorium. They are also promoting the auditorium
as a tourist attraction, a performance venue and an educational
opportunity.
The group’s
board of directors shares the vision to help resurrect the Municipal
to the glory of its storied history. The Municipal has hosted
many interesting and diverse events during the past 75 years.
It has housed the Caddo Parish Health Services, Early Aircraft
Warning System, Caddo Council on Aging, The Pelican Chapter of
The Girl Scouts of America, Daughters of the Confederacy, Shreveport
Parks and Recreation and at one time, the City Morgue. Once a
week for most of its 75 years, Mid-South Wrestling called the
Municipal home. It was also used as a temporary barracks during
World War II, but its most prolific regular tenant was a nationally
broadcast radio program called the Louisiana Hayride. Besides
Presley, many stars began or furthered their careers from the
Municipal’s stage, including Hank Williams, Johnny Cash,
Slim Whitman, Johnny Horton, Kitty Wells, Webb Pierce, Faron Young
and Jim Reeves.
The Municipal
was engineered with superior acoustics that absorb material which
eliminates echoes and reverberations. Virtually every play, symphony,
orchestra, recital and dance was held there until genre specific
venues were constructed in the late 50's and early 60's. It has
a large stage, generous dressing areas and seating for approximately
3,200, with each seat presenting a full view of the stage.
Although
the Municipal was placed on the National Register of Historic
Places in 1991, the building continued to be the victim of long-term
neglect until efforts to revitalize her began in 1994. Air conditioning
has been installed in most of the building and with the addition
of ramps and an elevator, compliance with the American with Disabilities
Act has been completed. Major renovations of the restrooms were
finished in April.
A museum
that showcases Presley and others opened June 5 and is open every
Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is a minimum contribution
of $2 for adults and $1 for children under 12. Closet vignettes
feature Williams, James Burton, Nat Stuckey, Tex Ritter, World
War I and the Holiday in Dixie Cotillion.
The Caddo
Council on Aging Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) provides
the manpower to give tours of the Municipal on Saturdays. The
tour guides have been given tours themselves by the legendary
Frank Page of Shreveport, who introduced Presley on stage 50 years
ago. Large groups wanting a tour may call Micheels at 318-632-2112.
The group
wishes to continue updating and enhancing the building, making
it more functional, competitive and visitor friendly, thereby
increasing the frequency of usage. Basically, some of the primary
areas of concern are the antique stage features that include loading
challenges, renovating stage rigging and electrical and lighting
upgrades.
For more
information, call the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist
Bureau at 318-222-9391 or visit www.StageOfStars.com.
Go
Back
