Our speaker Julie Fakler from the Paradise Theatre! Julie started at the Paradise in 2009 as a volunteer. She is now the Executive Director! The Paradise Theatre celebrates visual arts, preforming art and hopes to bring in literary arts and dance.
In 1929 the theatre burned down and was rebuilt that same year. For a while, there were 900 seats and currently there are 278 (which were updated in 2023 to new more comfortable seats). It functioned as a movie theater until the 1980s. There are several different galleries- Carlander Family Gallery, Lous Vranesh Gallery, Corey Lyn Dreger Memorial Gallery (which is for artists under 18), and the K and M Gallery.
The theatre hosts 5 productions a year. The Marquee Children's Theatre is grant funded for 35 kids and a 4-week production time. Currently the programs offered are pottery, quilting, stain glass, painting, fiber arts and needle felting. The studio has partnered with Jessica Prill (across the street) to have silver smithing glasses and stained glass.
***Fun Fact- Rod Mahler had his first date with his wife 64 years ago at the theatre.
