The good news is that $25,000 in donations have been collected to rebuild the Admiral Twin Drive-In theater in Tulsa after its outdoor screen burned down Sept. 3. The bad news is that an architect estimates that building a new double screen will cost up to $250,000, according to an article today by KRMG radio … Continue reading Admiral Twin rebuild effort raises $25,000 so far
Category: Theaters
Theater to debut play about Nat King Cole
The Amun Ra Theater in Nashville, Tenn., on Friday will host the world premiere of a one-man musical, "Route 66: Finding Nat King Cole." If you don't know who Cole is or what his significance to Route 66 is, this little clip should suffice: The Amun Ra production stars jeff obafemi carr (yes, that's how his name … Continue reading Theater to debut play about Nat King Cole
Fire destroys Admiral Twin Drive-In screens
A fast-burning fire on Friday afternoon destroyed the double screen of the historic Admiral Twin Drive-In theater in Tulsa. Whether the Admiral Twin, beloved by Tulsans for nearly 60 years, will reopen remained in doubt. Blake Smith, whose family has operated the drive-in near the Admiral Place alignment of Route 66 since 1987, told the … Continue reading Fire destroys Admiral Twin Drive-In screens
Notes from the road
The documentary "Route 66: Ten Years Later" will have its debut at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 9 at the Portage Theater in Chicago. Writer Tim Steil and photographer Jim Luning collaborated on their "Route 66" book during a Mother Road trip in 1999. A decade later, they decided to revisit the places they saw and see … Continue reading Notes from the road
At the drive-in
Joe Williams of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch makes an enjoyable trip up Route 66 to the Skyview Drive-In in Litchfield, Ill., to see the the Steve McQueen classic film, "Bullitt." Apparently Williams owns a 1966 Plymouth Fury. Good for him.
Interesting nuggets from Route 66 festival
The Joplin Globe's story about the Tri-State Route 66 Festival at Downstream Casino Resort that contained a few pearls of useful information for roadies. Danny Charles and T.J. Davis this fall will open a 1895 building on historic Route 66 in downtown Galena, Kan., as a pizzeria and pub. Volunteers from the festival helped them … Continue reading Interesting nuggets from Route 66 festival
Drive-in theaters stage a small comeback
Julianne Glatz, writing for the Illinois Times and using the Route 66 Drive-In in Springfield as a focus, notes that drive-in theaters seems to have halted a long decline in popularity. But in the last decade, drive-ins have been making a comeback. Some old drive-ins have reopened, others have expanded and new ones are popping … Continue reading Drive-in theaters stage a small comeback
Reviving downtown Los Angeles — for real
Los Angeles Downtown News has published a comprehensive article about efforts to revitalize downtown Los Angeles, which includes the original western terminus of Route 66. Unlike previous efforts to boost downtown, Councilman Jose Huizar and the 10-year Bringing Back Broadway initiative seem to actually be making some headway. Among the initiatives quests is to establish a … Continue reading Reviving downtown Los Angeles — for real
Tower Theater again is aglow
The neon lights of the historic Tower Theater on Route 66 in Oklahoma City burned Friday night for the first time in decades. John Murphey of the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program was there, and here are some excerpts of notes from the event: Approximately 200 people gathered in a parking lot across the street … Continue reading Tower Theater again is aglow
Notes from the road
The neon sign of the historic Tower Theater in Oklahoma City will be relighted during a ceremony Friday evening. The theater, at 425 NW 23rd St. in Oklahoma City, will see its restored neon blazing away again at 6:30 p.m. that day after decades in the dark. Here's more about the theater, according to records … Continue reading Notes from the road