Leaf Theater
Quincy Music Theatre is North Florida's largest and only all-musical community theatre.[1] The 433 seat facility is located in the historic Leaf Theater on Washington Street in Quincy, Florida considered part of the Historic districts in the United States. The organization produces high quality, live musical theatre outreach, and educational events throughout the year. In the summer, The Leaf conducts the Children's Summer Theatre Workshop and film events.[2].
An idyllic description of the Theater by author James Forsher: “In Quincy, Florida, 20 miles northwest of...Tallahassee the Leaf Theatre had been the town’s pride and joy ever since it opened in 1940. On opening day, Roy Rogers Helped launch a celebration of the state-of-the-art facility, complete with crying room and air conditioning.” “With the help of a million-dollar restoration grant from a local patron, the Leaf reopened” as the Quincy Music Theatre. “A musical theatre in the middle of a small town in the Deep South? I had my doubts when I had the opportunity of sitting in the audience during its production of Fiddler on the Roof. I can honestly say that it was one of the most enjoyable shows I had seen in years. The performers were all community residents, coming from a hundred-mile radius to perform for their friends and neighbors.” [3]
History
Part of The Quincy, Florida Historic District, The Leaf Theater was built in 1949. The theater was named for the economic impact of shade tobacco on the community. Since that time, other agricultural products dominate the area, but the original name remains. For many years, the theater featured great classic cinema. In the 1960′s, single-screen theaters were replaced with multiplex cinemas with features such as surround sound. In 1980, the Leaf closed its doors and sat neglected downtown.[4]
The Theatre is suggested as a destination of note for those who relish the beauty of old cinemas. The Leaf Theater is considered a place of historical significance as a cinema treasure.[5][6] Theatre Historical Society of America. It is also recommended as point of interest in any historical vacation by authors such as Bruce Hunt in "Visiting Small Town Florida",[7] Roadside Architecture,[8] and Gadsden Arts Council.[9]
In 1983, an enthusiastic musical theatre group in need of a permanent home began performing in area churches and schools. “Three benefactors purchased The Leaf and gave it to the Quincy Music Theatre. Restoration funding was secured through a preservation grant and local funding from private gifts. A state of the art revolving stage is an outstanding feature. The theatre serves as a performing arts center with scheduled performances each season. Talent and creativity are discovered, encouraged, and developed at the popular month long summer camps offered for children and teenagers.” [10] The neglected building was transformed into a grand entertainment facility that is now is a destination which supports the greater North Florida area with high quality productions and community events as well.[11][12][13][14][15]
Performers and Crew
High energy performances range from the recent comedy A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum to classics like Fiddler on the Roof and Hello Dolly, to modern musicals such as Hairspray (musical), Into the Woods, and Shrek.
Steven L. Taylor, who has played both Mufasa and Scar in The Lion King (musical) Broadway and Broadway Touring Companies, has conducted master class workshops; training up and coming actors and musicians for the rigors of a professional music theatre careers.[16][17][18]
Several performers and Crew members at the Leaf Theatre have continued in professional theatre careers.
Elexa Bancroft: Singer at The Atlanta Opera & Capitol City opera
Sandra Boyson: National Soloist & Hochstein School of Music & Dance, Voice Faculty Rochester, NY.[19]
Christopher Cantalano: Recently seen in the improv Absent Minded Comedy in New York City [20]
Jef Canter: Live Theater Actor Stand Tall: A Rock Musical in New York City [21]
Dean Crownover: Corporate/Industrial film actor
Victoria Henley: America's Top Model, College Edition [22]
Natalie Hoak: Professional Stage Management
Jeremy Hovan: Recently seen in the film Morgue: A Love Story With Guts [23]
Whitney Morse: Recently seen in Heloise and Abelard in Chigaco [24]
Sidonie Smith: Performing as Michelle in Sister Act. Ronacher Theater, Vienna, Austria.[25]
Cessalee Stoval: Recently seen in Tarzan at Tuacahn Amphitheatre
Haunted?
The Leaf Theater Building housing the Quincy Music Theatre has been certified locally as haunted by the Big Bend Ghost Trackers.[26][27] The theater is also noted nationally as an edifice in which tourists may observe appearances of apparitions.[28][29] For other allegedly haunted locations see the List of reportedly haunted locations in the United States.
In addition, several of the performers and directors of musicals at the theater have witnessed unusual events. In October 2012, the director of a show saw a person at the top of the steps leading to an outdoor storage room of the theatre. Thought to be a member of the cast or crew, they tried to tell the person that they were locking the theater. Among those standing there was the theater administrator. He went up to investigate, but no one was there. He then related a story of an older man who had died of a heart attack on those stairs about 20 years previously while engaging the services of a young lady. The young lady was not arrested for her services due to the fact that she had made the police aware of the death. She was in fact given a small reward by the theater because the manager was so happy he did not find the man later (it was the middle of the hot Florida Summer).
A lighting designer, while hanging lights from a tall ladder related the story of losing his balance. He said that he distinctly heard a woman's voice tell him to be careful.
References
- ^ http://www.cocanet.org/theatre/quincy-music-theatre.html
- ^ http://qmt.org
- ^ Forsher, James. (2003). The Community of Cinema: How Cinema and Spectacle Transformed the American Downtown. Prager Publishers: Westport, CT. p. 98, 109-110
- ^ http://www.facebook.com/HistoricLeafTheatre
- ^ U.S. Cinema Treasures http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/10555
- ^ Forsher, James. (2003). The Community of Cinema: How Cinema and Spectacle Transformed the American Downtown. Prager Publishers: Westport, CT. pp. 98, 109-110.
- ^ Hunt, Bruce. (2011) Visiting Small Town Florida, 3rd Edition. pp. 15-16. Pineapple Press: Sarasota, FL.
- ^ http://www.agilitynut.com/theatres/fl.html
- ^ http://www.gadsdenarts.org/gacnew/Portals/0/QuincyHistoricEBook.pdf
- ^ http://www.gadsdenarts.org/gacnew/Portals/0/QuincyHistoricEBook.pdf
- ^ http://bigbend4kids.com/2013/07/quincy-music-theatre/
- ^ http://www.bigbendhospice.org/news_qmt.html
- ^ http://www.cocanet.org/theatre/quincy-music-theatre.html
- ^ http://www.facebook.com/QuincyMusicTheatre
- ^ http://www.qmt.org
- ^ http://www.lionking.com/cast/_touring_cast
- ^ http://qmt.org/2014/03/28/qmt-presents-the-lion-kings-l-steven-taylor/
- ^ http://www.broadwayworld.com/people/L.-Steven-Taylor/#.U1BOy_lkTAk
- ^ http://www.sboysen.com/resume.html
- ^ http://christophercatalano.wordpress.com/resume/
- ^ ://www.jefcanter.com/
- ^ http://www.cwtv.com/shows/americas-next-top-model/cast/Victoria
- ^ https://www.hollywoodcastingandfilm.com/files/Jeremy%20Hovan%20-%20Acting%20Resume%20(4).pdf
- ^ http://whitneymorse.com/resume/
- ^ http://www.agentur-shanti.de/ceemes/cms/upload/Kuenstler/Sidonie_Smith/Profil_Sidonie_Smith.pdf
- ^ http://www.bigbendghosttrackers.com/leaf.html
- ^ http://www.wctv.tv/home/headlines/33242929.html
- ^ Lapham, Dave (2010). Leaf Theatre: Quincy. Ghost Hunting in Florida pp. 181-186. Clerisy Press: Cincinnati, OH.
- ^ Brown, Alan. (2013). Haunted Big Bend Florida. Haunted America: A Division of The History Press: Charleston, SC. pp. 62-66.