Leaf Theater
Quincy Music Theatre is North Florida's largest and only all-musical community theatre.[1] The 433 seat facility is also known as the Leaf Theater on Washington Street in Quincy, Florida and is considered part of Historic districts in the United States. The non-profit organization produces high quality, live musical theatre, outreach, and educational events throughout the year. In the summer, The Leaf sponsors 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 1960s, 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]
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 turned it over 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 theater 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.” [5] The previously neglected building was transformed into a grand entertainment facility that is now a destination which supports the greater North Florida area with high quality productions and community service-based events.[6][7][8][9][10][11]
Today, the theater 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 cinematic treasure.[12][13] Theatre Historical Society of America. It is also recommended as point of interest for historical siteseeing by authors such as Bruce Hunt in Visiting Small Town Florida,[14] Roadside Architecture,[15] and Gadsden Arts Council.[16]
Performances
High energy, family friendly performances range from comedy such as Once Upon a Mattress and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, to classics like Fiddler on the Roof, Guys and Dolls, and Hello Dolly, to modern musicals such as Hairspray (musical), Into the Woods, and Shrek.
Educational Workshops
Steven L. Taylor, who has played both Mufasa and Scar in The Lion King (musical) Broadway and Broadway Touring Companies, periodically conducts master class workshops at The Leaf; training up and coming actors and musicians for the rigors of professional music theatre careers.[17][18][19]
Quincy Music Theatre's Summer Theatre for Kids provides an educational camp setting for youths in the community. Scholarships are provided for those children experiencing hardships.
QMT walk of fame
Professional performers and Crew members who have been involved with the Leaf Theater events and performances.
Roy Rogers: Film Actor appeared at the opening ceremonies of the original Leaf Theater.[20]
Elexa Bancroft: Singer at The Atlanta Opera & Capitol City opera
Sandra Boyson: National Soloist & Hochstein School of Music & Dance, Voice Faculty Rochester, NY.[21]
Christopher Cantalano: Recently seen in the improv Absent Minded Comedy in New York City [22]
Jef Canter: Live Theater Actor Stand Tall: A Rock Musical in New York City. Seen as Mr. Smee in Peter Pan touring company [23]
Dean Crownover: Corporate/Industrial film actor
Victoria Henley: America's Top Model, College Edition [24]
Madeline Hickman: A member of the New York Actors & Playwrights collective, Recently seen as Elia Kazan in Limbo Lounge in New York City.
Natalie Hoak: Professional Stage Manager
Jeremy Hovan: Appears in the film Morgue: A Love Story With Guts [25] and the TV Series LARPers is in production [26]
'Matthew Militano: Actor in the film Jimmy's Pickle. [27]
Whitney Morse: Recently seen in Heloise and Abelard in Chigaco [28]
Meghan Pulles: Recently seen in La Boheme at the Bronx Opera Company.
Crimson Roe: Appears in the Off-Broadway dance production Press Play
Sidonie Smith: Performing as Michelle in Sister Act. Ronacher Theater, Vienna, Austria.[29]
Cessalee Stoval: Recently seen in Tarzan at Tuacahn Amphitheatre
Haunted?
The theater is noted nationally as an edifice in which tourists may observe appearances of apparitions by authors such as Alan Brown of the Haunted America series and Dave Lapham author of Ghost Hunting in Florida.[30][31] According to ratings on Haunted Places which features over 3000 haunted areas across the United States, The Leaf Theater has been rated as haunted by 80% of respondents.[32] Although included in the List of reportedly haunted locations in the United States, it has been certified regionally as haunted by the Big Bend Ghost Trackers.[33][34]
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).[35]
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.[36]
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
- ^ http://www.gadsdenarts.org/gacnew/Portals/0/QuincyHistoricEBook.pdf
- ^ http://www.kpadance.com/performances/the-snow-queen/index.html
- ^ 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
- ^ 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.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
- ^ Forsher, James. (2003). The Community of Cinema: How Cinema and Spectacle Transformed the American Downtown. Prager Publishers: Westport, CT. pp. 98, 109-110.
- ^ 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://www.imdb.com/name/nm3130073/?ref_=tt_cl_t8
- ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3690375/
- ^ http://whitneymorse.com/resume/
- ^ http://www.agentur-shanti.de/ceemes/cms/upload/Kuenstler/Sidonie_Smith/Profil_Sidonie_Smith.pdf
- ^ Brown, Alan. (2013). Haunted Big Bend Florida. Haunted America: A Division of The History Press: Charleston, SC. pp. 62-66.
- ^ Lapham, Dave (2010). Leaf Theatre: Quincy. Ghost Hunting in Florida pp. 181-186. Clerisy Press: Cincinnati, OH.
- ^ http://www.hauntedplaces.org/item/quincy-leaf-theatre/
- ^ http://www.bigbendghosttrackers.com/leaf.html
- ^ http://www.wctv.tv/home/headlines/33242929.html
- ^ Personal Interview, Artistic Director, Quincy Music Theatre
- ^ Personal Interview, Lighting Designer, Quincy Music Theatre