Tale of Two Theaters
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Sidebar:
According to the Cinema Treasures website (cinematreasures.org) William B. David designed 18 theaters, all but one in Northern California.
Four of the 18 have been demolished. Four are currently shuttered. Of the remaining 10, five are currently operating with from two up to six screens (the Fortuna and the Ukiah each have six).
Three have returned to a single screen: The Eureka was de-triplexed in 2000. The Esquire in Sacramento was de-twinned and turned into an IMAX theater. The Varsity Theatre was de-twinned and is run by the city of Davis as a community theater with occasional movies and live entertainment.
Only two have never been multiplexed: The Lark in Larkspur, a 299-seat single screener, which has never been divided, is a nonprofit art house theater showing indie features, documentaries and foreign films with occasional concerts. The Arcata is set to reopen as the single screen 617-seat Arcata Theatre Lounge on April 3.
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on the cover
Railroad!
Proposed lines ‘set rich blood a-tingling’ in early 1900s
Some Other Proposed North Coast Railroads
Choo-choo Fantasies
Exposing this east-west rail nonsense
seven-o-heaven
Undeterred Will
Will chides Andrew for lack of attention to detail and makes plans for his inevitable victory.
Recent on the cover
May 17
Ring of Fire
Sun and moon will perform a rare pas de deux in Humboldt skies on Sunday
May 10
District Soup
Racing for the top county seat in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd districts
May 3
A Place in the Woods
As park closure deadline nears, a scramble to save what we can
Today
44th Annual Kinetic Grand Championship Race
STAFF PICK / events, art, outdoors, sports, for kids, free / 9 a.m.-6 p.m. A 3-day, 42-mile kinetic sculpture race over land, sand, mud and water! LeMans start at the Noon Whistle on the Arcata Plaza. Follow the race through Manila, Eureka and into Ferndale on Memorial Day for the Glorious Finish. kineticgrandchampionship.com. 889-3024.
Flow 2012 Fashion Show
STAFF PICK / events / 8 p.m. Arcata Theatre Lounge, 1036 G St. Student designed and produced clothing. Fundraiser for Arcata Arts Institute. $35/$25 students. artsinstitute.net. 822-1220.
Woodside Preschool's Rummage/Bake Sale
events / 8 a.m.-noon. Woodside Preschool, 900 Hodgson St, Eureka. www.woodsidepreschool.com. 445-9132.
Lanphere Dunes Restoration
STAFF PICK / outdoors / 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Meet at Pacific Union School. Help remove non-native invasives at the Lanphere Dunes Unit of the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Tools and gloves provided, wear work clothes and bring water. Carpool to the protected site. 444-1397.
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FOUR Comments
Comment / By Shoshanna / March 31, 2009, 11:08 p.m.
Thanks for the great story. Congratulations to both venues for getting great things happening in our area!
Comment / By Shoshanna / March 31, 2009, 11:08 p.m.
Thanks for the great story. Congratulations to both venues for getting great things happening in our area!
Comment / By Former eureka volunteer / April 12, 2009, 6:26 p.m.
It would be great for sure if Wendy and chuck would allow anyone they want to volunteer there. I was one of the original volunteers at the Eureka and Sweasey theaters. When I asked about volunteering again, she laughed, said no, and made some sort of comment about bombing the place. Bottom line is that she doesn’t want any of the original volunteers to help out with this place. There’s one big thing wrong with this theater, its got a board. Anything with a board is certain to have problems.
Comment / By JCL / July 15, 2009, 10:46 a.m.
Correction please: the architect for this theatre and many others thruout north and central California was William B. David, (not Davis).
I initially met Mr.David when I was in my teens working at a theatre in Sacramento. I later managed theatres owned by Richard Mann, (son of Geo. Mann, founder of Redwood Theatres) who had a history of using Mr. David as their architect. He designed some beautiful ‘movie palaces’ over many years.