Albuquerque Journal from Albuquerque, New Mexico • Page 27

Music Theatre Landmark Mzn La Mancha '--Reopens Kimo Theatre 9 est 3r wmr it ii I .1 A7 'i "We are building a wooden structure 30 ft. across and 15 ft. tall," said Jimmy Nine, technical adviser. "Our architect Robert Ponto designed this with wooden trusses so we could hang lights." "This is kind of unique," said Frank Mangano, technical director. "Most community theaters have to make the stage larger and we have to make it smaller." The problem with the present stage is that there is no side stage or backstage area.

The curtains extend directly out from the wall. "We've brought the stage in so we'll have space on the sides and we've added a false apron to extend the stage in front," said Ning. Volunteers Bill Beske and Terry Conder, both master carpenters, helped erect the wooden structure and other members of the crew will be cleaning and doing some slight refurbishing such as adding slipcovers to seat backs. "Actually the theater is in amazingly good condition," said Westerman. The company will close the upper balcony and use only the orchestra seats and the loge for a total of 900 or more seats.

"Man of La Mancha" will play for six performances. Planned for the remainder of the season are "Fiddler on the Roof," "A Funny Thing Happened on the Wav to the Forum," "H.M.S. Pinafore," and "Cinderella." Admissions are available from Riedling Music Co. and Plaza Book Store in Coronado Center. MARTHA BlDOKt'KE Journal Arts Kditnr "Man of La Mancha," a lantlmark in Music Theatre's will return to the st.ir.e Oct.

1 in another landmark the Kimo Theatre. "We just outprew the Menaul Theater," said staging director Karl Westerman. "They literally took us off the streets six years ago. But the facilities were limited. We outgrew the theater and they outgrew us." The Music Theatre will open its seventh season with "Man of La Mancha," starring Arthur Barrett as Don Quixote.

The musical played to capacity houses in February, according to Westerman, so the decision was made to re-open it this fall. Sancho is played by Don Furtivo and the cast Includes William Hicks, June Forrester, Jamie K. Wheeler, Pancho Archibeque and Leon Behunin. "We have leased the Kimo for this season," said Westerman, "But we hope to have a permanent home soon. We've been scratching the earth for money these last six seasons to build a new theater.

"What many people don't realize is that musicals are tremendously expensive. We don't make any money off our regular productions, so we have to do side things like the melodramas in Cerrillos." Music Theatre volunteers are doing some remodeling to the stage area to provide a smaller area for the actual stage. Sunday, Sept. 19, 1971 C-l i Busy Music Theatre volunteers ready downtown's Kimo Theatre for the Oct. 1 opening of "Man of La Mancha," starring Arthur Barrett as Don Quixote.

1 V- Above left is Frank Mangano setting the marquee for the musical, to play six performances in the former movie house. LA I'll 5 1 -f At left, Jimmy Ning, technical adviser, studies stage remodeling plans against a backdrop of Indian decor designed especially for the theater in 1027. Behind him to the left are murals done by the late Carl von Hassler, a longtime Albuquerque resident. At right Ning and Robert Ponto, left, begin moving in scenery for the "La Mancha" set. Behind them on the wall is a sample of the Indian symbols that decorate walls and ceiling of the old theater.

-4, I1 if 1. i Journal Photos By Ray Cary 4 Ii wa vjf8- Vi 1 -if i iXMM Lavishly Decorated 'King of Its Kind' Opened in 1 928 gram, that Fairbanks had stood when he was given the name "Kimo," to mean leadership in his profession. Oreste Bachechi brought in from Los Angeles a firm of architects, Boiler who specialized in theatrical architecture. Robert E. McKee was the contractor and George Williamson of Albuquerque was associate architect.

THE THEATER had a seating capacity of 1300, with 850 in the orchestra, and 450 in the loges and balcony. The program, owned by the late George A. M. Willson, tells of the many Indian leaders Tesuque, Cochiti, Islcta and Navajo, among others who attended the dedication. It also listed the day's features: the Fox News, "Tiffany's Memories," a cartoon called "Oswald the Lucky Rabbit," and the feature, "Painting the Town," starring Glen Lynon and Patzy Ruth Miller.

"The theater was built in 1927 and opened in 1928 and the depression hit in 1930," said Carlo Bachechi, son of the original r. "So we got in just before the depression." Bachechi, who was 18 at the time of the theater dedication, said "all the dignitaries were here. There was all the pomp and ceremony anything had in those days. The governor was here (Richard Dillon) and the mavor was here (Clyde Tingley). "ALL THE MOVIES were silent then, but the Kimo was the first to go with records sound we put that in when it first came out," said Bachechi.

The Kimo joined the Sunshine and the State in downtown Albuquerque, although the State was then the Pastime, another Bachechi property. "All the Indian symbols and decor was designed especially for the Kimo," said Bachechi. "It was the best of its time." Kimo king of its kind was the name given in 1928 to a new movie theater in downtown Albuquerque. The Kimo Theatre, built by Bachechi Amuse- ment was lavishly designed with Indian motifs and opened with a dedication attended by dozens of Indian leaders, as well as Albuquerque civic leaders. i A program printed for the dedication cere- mony, though giving no clue as to the day, month, or year of the opening, described in great detail the theater's conception, name and decor.

"KIMO, MEANING 'king of its kind' said the I program, was given by Pablo Aboita, "former gov- emor of Islcta and sage of that ancient pueblo to the south." Kimo had been the name bestowed by Isleta on "that sturdy member of the motion picture peers, Douglas Fairbanks Jr." It had been just a block from the theater, according to the pro "Electric eyes from the heads of buffalo, reminiscent of the Old West, diffuse a soft glow about the entrance," said the program. "Huge chandeliers, suspended from the ceiling, are faithful reproductions of Indian farewell canoes. They are in the tow of the Eagle whose duty it is to see that the canoe bearing the dead warrior is carried into the happy hunting grounds." INDIAN SYMBOLS adorn the walls and massive ceiling beams of the old theater and large light fixtures in the lobby repeat some of the symbols. In the beginning a reproduction of Acoma Pueblo was painted on the stage curtain. The designers had spent much time at the pueblo and had taken many photographs before designing the curtain.

The program lists coming attractions among them "What Price Glory" and a Fairbanks movie, "The Gaucho.".