Everybody laments the loss of a prized historic theater.  Too often some big movie house built in the 1920s, turns into a mixed-use space in the 1950s, then maybe a music hall, until it’s finally shuttered completely.

But sometimes there are happy stories, like the cover story on New York’s Capitol Theatre for FOH Magazine. Beloved by the players such as The Grateful Dead to Phish, it was destined for a run-in with the wrecking ball.  Luckily a concert promoter with a vision saved it.

Here in St. Louis, we had the Fabulous Fox theater, which similarly dodged destruction and is thriving. Very close to home, here in my hometown of St. Louis, a smaller but totally cool old movie theater called the The Ozark has been saved … sort of.  As of now, they aren’t able to do much with it (say, maybe my band The Kevin Mitchell 4 should be playing at it!). Hopefully that will have a happy ending.

But the Capitol Theater story is a great one. It remains to be seen if it will survive and thrive, but I love writing these kinds of stories and in a small way I hope the publicity helps them.  Next time I’m in New York, I’m going to do everything I can to catch a show, that’s for sure … because there is nothing like seeing a show in those wonderful old theaters newly restored.

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