Ode to the Drew Theater
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It sits forlornly in the middle of Monticello, just south of Main Street. Alone and unused, it was once one of Monticello’s busiest and most entertaining sites for teenagers, families, friends, and out-of-towners. It’s the Drew Theater. Every small town had one at one time, probably.
The small box office juts out on the left side of the front of the building, inviting movie-goers. Its small lobby was just enough to intoxicate visitors with aromas of thick, buttered popcorn. Replete with a balcony and steeply sloped main floor, it could probably seat more than 400 at a time.
We looked at the building a couple of years ago as a possible site for Journey. It was last used by a church - a fly-by-night church that had enough time to paint the walls of the main auditorium purple, as well as the redo the carpet and build a stage that would make Joel Osteen envious. It and Monticello’s old drive-in theater are listed here.
At the time we looked at it, someone, possibly the pastor of this church had been using the box office as a bedroom, and suits still hung from a pole that had been stretched across the room. The place was filthy, and dead rats (we’re talking puppy-sized!) were found in several places. The rats, more than the building itself, were the biggest turnoff for the group that looked at it. I wonder why?
We eventually went a different direction, and the building still sits unoccupied today. It’s available for lease or sale, from what I understand. I have always thought it would make a fantastic small $1-theater. I hope that there’s life to yet to be wrung from this historic building.
In thinking of the Drew Theater, I also think of abandoned dreams generally. The theater was a hotspot in its heyday, but no longer. Someone’s pride and joy became an albatross, passed by and passed over by our “larger-is-better” culture. What do you find in your life has been passed by and passed over? Care to share?
What are your hopes and dreams yet to be realized? Do you have a vision sitting dormant? Has it been abandoned, or is it waiting for the right person or circumstance to revitalize it?
April 29th, 2007 at 8:21 pm
Hey stop with the seriousness. It is still April. I was promised fun and silliness for the whole month. What happened?
April 29th, 2007 at 8:36 pm
Oops, sorry. I thought having raccoon poop on my car this a.m. made up for that? ;)
April 30th, 2007 at 8:24 am
sticking with serious, i guess!
passed by/passed over: bondage, fear, shame, loneliness, fear, shame, loneliness, and those a few more times…….and i admit occassionally still revisit them in a moment of temporary insanity, but then i remember who’s in charge, and that freedom, fellowship, and peace can reign if i let it.
dormant visions? several….but i think wheels are turning, so maybe they aren’t completely dormant….except maybe the one that involves becoming a millionaire by winning the “who wants to be a millionaire” show. are you smarter than a fifth grader might be more up my alley!
April 30th, 2007 at 10:34 am
Brandy, thanks for sharing.
You know, when Caro and I were in NYC a coupla years back, we went to the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” show and tried to take the trivia test to get on the show. We both flunked. Bummer.
April 30th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
When I was young I spent many hours at the old “walk-in”. The owner always let me in free because he and my dad were school buddies. It was also impressive to take a date there because we got in free and got free food. Then the first home I purchased was on Boyd and I would walk with my wife and children to the “walk-in” They saw their first movie there. The lion king If i remember. Mr. Williams used to give me the movie posters after he was finished with them. I have boxes and boxes of them still today. They are probably worth something too. HMMMMMMMMM.
April 30th, 2007 at 7:16 pm
That was a great a blog. How often our dreams become dormant because we are scared of changing directions. Makes you think.
May 1st, 2007 at 7:27 am
It stands as it does,as many so buildings in this town.I was in Hot Springs over the weekend and was overcome by the undenialbe fact that most towns,refurbish their old buildings.They take care to preserve history,in this town it is refaced to beyond recognition of from its original glory or razed.Kind of reminds me of Madonona.~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anyhow,I think this theater and the old hotel both represent most of us in our life’s quest,metaphorically speaking.Most of us before we come to the lord,and many of us even after we THINK we have,are just like this theatre.Hollow,unfilled,with the awful rats (the sizes of puppies)-deceit,mistrust,fear and denial(and many more I am sure) running around within us freely.
However,to bird walk a bit,For those of us who have thought we have come to the Lord in any way we know how,we are still left with that hollow feeling,even though some of the rats are no longer there,we dont know how to be any other way,we do not know how to proceed any other way,so there we remain.Broken,lonely but starving for that beauty and vitality again…..
May 1st, 2007 at 1:27 pm
Great stuff, guys!
Jason, thanks for your personal reflections and memories of the DT. I hope we hear more from others.
KT, you’re really hitting home with the condition of many “Christians” today. It’s been dealt with here and in other entries, but I think that for those who “ask Jesus into their hearts” and then think they’ve “sealed the deal,” many may be in for a shock to discover that simply “accepting” Jesus may not be the same as following Him.
Jesus asked us to consider the cost of following Him. Too many folks seem to want a transactional relationship with Him. “I believe in You, so we’re cool, right?”
It’s no wonder that so many sense there’s more beauty to be had in a love relationship with Him. Thanks for your comment. It’s profound and real.
May 4th, 2007 at 10:57 pm
hm, wow, that’s interesting!
I always get in on these posts a week after everyone else…lol
abandoned dreams? oh yeah, I have a lot of them. But I think they were well worth abandoning.