Putting on the Ritz

In the 50's, every small town large enough to support a movie theater had kids who also found some of their values formed by what they saw there.  

​Riding my bike to town, 16 cents used to get me into a matinee performance of Tom Mix or Superman, of course being viewed from the front seats of the theater. As I aged, I found greater appeal to the rear seats, at night ...  with my date.    

Whether Bexley Theater in Dover, or the Strand Theater in Marietta, a similar nostalgic refrain is recited from those of our generation. 

So, while the Bexley crumbles, the Strand is revived by generous contributions from Earl and Rachel Smith and others dedicated to not just keep an attractive building on our Square, but to also keep the memory alive and the history vibrant.

Here, even the Big Chicken gets all decked for an evening at "the theater".

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