Old Granada Theatre

[ Excerpt from "Collective Chatter" by Martha Smilgis, 11/8/05 ]

DRAMATIC DEMOLITION: Theme music from the film "2001: A Space Odyssey" filled the empty, concrete shell of the old Granada Theatre. Harriet Miller stepped up to the stage with a giant sledgehammer. Just as the music swelled, our former mayor took a big swing and slammed the hammer into the old wooden floor. The floor began to wobble and then, wondrously, caved in the middle as bright light and smoke poured forth -- thanks to three fog machines. ... The Granada Restoration team cheered, hooted and whistled before retiring to the Founder's Room overlooking State Street, where coffee and scones were provided by Marla McNally Phillips and Anne Smith Towbes. Cups were raised for passing the $30 million mark by celebrants including Morrie Jurkowitz, Michael Towbes, Jon Clark (for Wendy McCaw), Marshall Rose, Joanne Rapp, Betty Stephens, Marty Blum, Das Williams and Hannah-Beth Jackson. ... Target date for completion is February 2007. ...

Collective chatter