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That time is still vivid in the minds of some Turners Falls residents
as a time of five cent matinees, movie serials and (in the thirties) dish
nights, when you could see a movie and add a piece of "Depression Glass"
or china to your table setting. The Royal Rose Collection is currently
displayed in the Shea lobby. The set, purchased in the late 1930's - early
40's was donated by Debra Marini.
The stage was the home for amateur theater productions put on by such groups
as the American Legion Auxiliary, the Rotary Club, and the Turners High School
Senior Play (until they had an auditorium of their own). Shea also brought in
occasional vaudeville shows. He ran the theater until 1943 when he hired someone
to manage it for him. He died in 1945 and his family sold it two years later.
It continued to operate under various owners until 1956. It then remained dark
except for a short time in 1963-64.
In 1973 a commune known as the Renaissance Community bought the Shea and used it
as a recording studio and site for their religious activities. In 1986 they sold
it to the Franklin County Community Development Corp, who launched the restoration
project. The town of Montague bought the property from the F.C.C.D.C. and rents it
to the non-profit Shea Community Theater at the cost of $1.00 a year. A dedicated
group of local citizens raised over $200,000 for the renovation. The new interior
was designed with an eye for the practical as well as the aesthetic while retaining
reference to the original design. The front was preserved as were the corbel ended
wood box beams in the theater. In 1990 the Shea opened its doors with a production
of Butterflies Are Free staged by The Country Players, still one of our resident
theater groups.
The Shea provides performance space for a variety of attractions designed to appeal
to the widest range of tastes. Musical offerings include folk, pop, rock, swing,
jazz, country and traditional. Theatrical productions encompass musical comedy,
drama, comedy, and political satire. In addition, audiences can take advantage of
magic shows, children's shows and silent film revivals.
An increasingly popular program of drama classes and summer camp workshops has
attracted to its staff some of the most talented teachers in the area. There is
also an exciting curriculum based school program open to local schools at affordable
prices.
The Shea, with the help of a wonderful corps of volunteers, has been attracting a
growing audience and as a result is bringing people into Turners Falls from an ever
larger geographical area. This growth has put the Shea on a firmer financial footing,
providing the basis for expectations of an even more exciting future for this vital
community asset.
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