The Elma Theater Main Page

The Elma Theater

The 600 seat Elma Theater, (home of the Elma Children's Theater Association), was built in 1927 and opened in November of 1928. It was considered a state of the art performance hall and movie theater, with a fresco art ceiling, five dressing rooms with hot and cold running water, an orchestra pit, and a fly space capable of over stage suspension of up to 16 scenes that can be dropped during production scene changes. Mr. Kingsley Hall purchased the building on May 1, 1991. He reopened the theater after some renovation & restoration on June 1, 1991 with Chicken Fried Diner Produced by Mr. Patrick Dennis Hart

KXRO Interview

The Elma Theater has featured more imported live venues from all over the world, for many more seasons, than the Washington State Center for the Performing Arts, The Raymond Theater, The Hoquiam 7th St Theater and The Bishop Center combined, even though by choice there are no government or large corporate funds. Exceptions are some Hotel-Motel tax advertising (less than $400/year) , and 5 or 6 donations of less than $1,000.00 within the last twelve years in funds or materials. The help of The Washington State Arts Commission (funded by The National Endowment for the Arts) in arranging for Mr Hall's attendance to booking conferences is appreciated. Booking conference attendance resulted in our presentations of "The Duttons, (Provo Utah), A Fine & Pleasant Misery, McManus In Love w/Pat McManus, (Spokane WA) Ain't Misbehavin, (New York NY) Gray's Harbor County helps us with our annual quest by train to book ourselves out and other shows in. Many volunteers and small contributions keep us going. We try to pay our performers. Our Elma Children's Theater Assn children do not pay tuition but in fact are paid a small amount for their performance

GOOD NEWS

We hope to be open again in 2011

The Elma Theater & Properties are not on the Market and are no longer for sale, as of May 1, 2009, our 18th Anniversary. Though Mr. Hall would like to retire but at this time it is unlikely with today's market and economy possible to find anyone else willing to take on such a endeavor that can afford to take on the financial burdens. A purchaser must be willing and able to lose about $50,000.00 per year. We will continue to generate the funds necessary to finish the refurbishing (now completed) and update the wiring to the 2010 National Electric code. Which will probably be adopted by Washington State Legislature & Governor in 2011 allowing plastic electric conduit in assembly buildings so our computerized lighting system will continue to work even better. We are closed at this time to address these improvements and will remain closed until these efforts are completed. We have enjoyed the past 18 years and look forward to the day we will re-open our doors. Thank You for your patronage and patience.

We are also concerned about the continued maintenance and improvement of this historic web site. We have historic VHS tapes yet to be captured of past performances and thence to be uploaded onto to this web site but not sure who or what organization would pay hosting expenses if something happens to Mr. Hall that turned 76 years old September 2010 and had a stroke 3/25/2011

CLICK HERE FOR DIRECTIONS TO ELMA THEATER

For information regarding booking your shows in or our productions out contact:

Mr. Kingsley Hall, Artistic Director emergency cell phone 360-590-2054

if e-mailing jpeg photos, attachments, any info to be forwarded (or for the web) or scanned documents use kingsleyhall_elmatheater@hotmail.com

note the underscore between hall & elma above

For some biographical information about Mr Kingsley Hall click here

or also see above link for link about Kingsley's father

as Technical Director Chicago Plan Commission

Technical note: Above replaced a previous geocities page

Elma Theater 113 N Fourth Street P. O. Box 1454 Elma, Washington 98541-1454

1-360-482-4810 (voice or call first fax)

or to receive periodic automatic e-mail updates on venues and other of interest to patron information join the below public community web

http://communities.msn.com/ElmaTheater/elmatheater.msnw

since msn communities & groups will be extinct after February 2009 above will be replaced with below under construction link

http://elmatheaterpatrons.u.yuku.com/

THIS IS A TEST

or to receive periodic automatic e-mail updates incl. pictures of restoration efforts of The Old Elma Bank Bldg. join the below public community web

http://groups.msn.com/OldElmaBankRestorationFriends

above will also have to be replaced

or to receive or view info & pictures re: City of Elma Main St Rebuilding Dedication & Ribbon Cutting Ceremony w/entertainment by three of us

http://groups.msn.com/ElmaWAUSAMainStDedication/homepage

above will have to be replaced

To view pictures of City of Elma News, Elma Antique Car Street Fair 6/25/2005, Elma Lions Club Officer Instl. Dinner etc. click below url

http://spaces.msn.com/members/elmatheater/PersonalSpace.aspx?_c02_owner=1&_c=

or to view some historic information about the original pipe organ that was in the building

http://www.pstos.org/instruments/wa/elma/graham.htm

or to view information on present location of Elma Theater's original Pipe Organ

CLICK HERE TO SEE E-MAIL

or click below for information about Elma Theater organist Bill Bunch

this page still under construction we have his 50 page autobiography

or click below for information about Elma Theater organist Paul Lameroux after Billy Bunch

this page under construction we know that he managed the Associated Gas Station across street from theater and may have daughter in Olympia now Jaqualene or Jaualene (Sp?) Frailey

or to receive latest revision to board meetings, membership meetings, auditions, call backs, rehearsal schedules, ask to join below private community

http://groups.msn.com/ElmaWAUSATheaterPersonnel

or click below to see details on past Theatre Graduation Awards

THE GRADUATION AWARDS

or click below to see details on our past & next attractions

Elma Film Society Meets 7 PM Thursday Evenings Sometimes Call to see if & what what members may share

Free Cartoons Wednesday afternoons after school until rehearsals of Elma Children's Theater Assn

Above Two Elma Film Society efforts may be temporarily cancelled again as building sets for next two live performances

In Memory of

click below

Irene DuBay -- 9/13/1951 - 7/28/2004

Doris Holloway -- 7/25/1924 - 1/18/2009