NEWS

Moving Picture: Fowler Theatre takes prize

Over the past two decades, the lights have gone out on the marquees of many downtown movie theaters, their popcorn eaten by Netflix and multi-screen cinemas on the outskirts of town. In 2000, that was about to happen in Fowler, population 2,300, a town in Benton County, northwest of Lafayette.

 

(Photo: Moments in Time Photography)

One evening, Karen Moyars ran into the proprietor of the Fowler Theatre and found out it was closing. He planned to strip out the Art Deco elements and sell the 1940 building. “I was part of a downtown advocacy group that saw great value in the theater. I asked him how much he wanted for the place—$30,000—and begged him to leave everything intact,” Moyars recalls.

The downtown proponents formed the Prairie Preservation Guild, Ltd. to save the movie palace, and began a 14-year restoration that concluded last year. “The board had a vision. Even in the beginning when the place was a mess, we could all see it done,” Moyars says. In April 2016, Indiana Landmarks gave Prairie Preservation Guild our annual Cook Cup for Outstanding Restoration for a stunning transformation that involved the entire community.

Prairie Preservation Guild got a loan from Indiana Landmarks in 2001 to cover the purchase price, plus more for immediate repairs. “They scoped out a three-phase, pay-as-you-go restoration plan, beginning with the roof, the main façade and marquee,” says Tommy Kleckner, director of our western regional office who advised the group over the years. “An early surprise—a bad case of black mold—didn’t faze them.”

Volunteers did a lot of the dirty work, pulling up old carpeting and removing soggy plaster. Volunteers also sold the tickets, made the popcorn, and cleaned up after every movie.

To restore the Fowler’s 840-bulb marquee, Prairie Preservation Guild “sold” each light bulb. For a $10 donation, your name—or your aunt’s or your dog’s—appeared on a paper lightbulb taped to the wall in the unrestored lobby. In Phase III, the group found a $350 donor to underwrite each of the auditorium’s 210 new seats. These mini-campaigns allowed the entire town to participate—men, women, children, and dogs. The nonprofit also pursued grants from a variety of sources, and found financing support from the Fowler State Bank.

They recreated the missing porcelain-enameled steel façade panels, and restored the Art Deco stainless steel doors, poster cases, and the neon-decorated marquee. “Prairie Preservation Guild used mostly local contractors, led by Paul Schutter of Schutter Construction. All of them went above and beyond what they were paid to do,” Moyars notes.

Prairie Preservation Guild raised over $100,000 for the conversion to digital projection after determining that a future running only classic movies would not ensure the theatre’s continued role as a family entertainment magnet. They also replaced the old fixed screen with a retractable one, creating more stage space for other income-producing uses of the theatre.

“Mission Probable” appeared on the marquee when the group closed the place for five months in 2012 to restore the lobby, renovate the concession stand, and revamp the tiny antiquated restrooms to meet accessibility codes.

Fowler Marquee

If original elements existed, they were restored, including the jazzy neon columns flanking the concession stand. If they were missing, Indianapolis designer Craig Wetli found or created Art Deco-inspired replacements—lighting, carpeting, seats—similar to what was visible in historic photos. Board member Karen Klemme recruited her nephew for the job, and he couldn’t say no.

“My family has lived in Benton County for several generations,” Wetli notes. “I grew up there, taking in all the Disney movies at the Fowler. I was back recently and heard that the high school jazz band concert packed the theatre, and the crowd loved it. The community is using the building for more than just movies. Downtown is turning a corner.”

Prairie Preservation Guild finished the interior restoration in 2015, buoyed by volunteers and backed by donors large and small. According to Jill Byrd, Theatre Manager and the only paid staff person, Prairie Preservation Guild’s volunteer list hovers around 300, aged 5 to 80-plus, and includes entire families who sign up for a Friday, Saturday or Sunday night, when they sell and take the tickets, make and sell the popcorn, and clean up after the shows, restrooms included.

“You’d be hard pressed to find a more can-do, grassroots effort, or a more exemplary restoration,” declared Indiana Landmarks President Marsh Davis.

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