THEATRE HISTORY
The Ruby Theatre is believed to be the oldest running film theatre in Washington State and is certainly one of the oldest movie theatres in the Northwest.
The Ruby Theatre was listed as a National Historic Place in 1991.
CHELAN’S HISTORIC RUBY THEATRE
“CINEMA IN MEMORABLE SURROUNDINGS”
CHELAN, WASHINGTON
Chelan’s Historic Ruby Theatre opened in the summer of 1914. The Ruby is believed to be the oldest continuously running film theatre in Washington State, and is certainly one of the oldest movie theatres in the Pacific Northwest. The theatre was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991 in recognition of its unique history and its contribution as a small town theatre to Chelan Valley and North Central Washington. For over 95 years, the theatre has served as a movie house and home to community events for the valley’s residents and guests.
Early Days at the Ruby
Construction started on the Ruby Theatre in the fall of 1913. It is one of many buildings and homes constructed by Chelan brothers, Herbert R. and Morrison M. Kingman, including Campbell’s Resort’s Matson Building a block down the street from the Ruby. There is no record of an architect or designer for the theatre and it is unknown where the Kingman’s design originated for the Moorish influenced “photohouse”. The Theatre was constructed for a cost of $6,500.
Movie theaters were in their infancy in 1913. Few theaters had been constructed at the time specifically for showing film. Prior to this time, movies were being shown in spaces used for vaudeville, opera, lanternslides, and live stage productions. The earlier Gem Theatre, located down the street from the Ruby was one of these spaces. The Gem was a non-descript building with a flat floor, benches for seating, with no lobby and no projection booth. The modern, new Ruby Theatre included a lobby, fireproof projection room, balcony seating, an orchestra pit, interior telephone system, electrical system for lights and equipment, a built-in sound system and “arc” projectors.
Frank J. Potter and his wife, who had been managing the Gem Theatre a few doors down the street, rented the theatre from the Kingman brothers and took over the management of the new theatre naming it for their foster daughter, Ruby. Ruby Potter’s photograph taken in front of the Theatre is currently displayed in the theatre lobby. The first film shown was “Quo Vadis,” The original film epic by that name has been reissued in new form a number of times.
The Building
While the Ruby’s facade has been changed several times over the years, the interior of the theatre remains much like it was when the Ruby was first constructed. The exterior originally had two central doors, a second floor balcony with ornamental iron railing over the entry, and a projecting marquee. The preserved original interior features include a horseshoe balcony, pressed tin ceiling with rosette pattern, and a plaster proscenium arch decorated with a rich floriated design of vines and oak leaves. The stage has been extended over the original orchestra pit and dressing rooms. In the early days of vaudeville, Mr. J. M. Deeds of Wenatchee furnished curtains and scenery. An advertising curtain painted by Mr. Carpenter about 1920, is now displayed in the Chelan Museum.
The Ruby originally seated 225 on the first floor and 125 in the balcony. While the theater had as many as 428 seats at one time, it now seats 174.The manager’s office and restroom are still at the rear of the balcony. A second restroom used to be located under the stage. The “state of the art” theatre had telephone communication between the box-office, stage, dressing rooms and orchestra pit.
Changes and Renovations
The Ruby has seen many changes during its 95 years of providing entertainment to the community. The equipment had to keep up with the changes, particularly in the early film industry. Soon after 1919, two “modern motion picture machines”, and more comfortable seats were added. The theatre originally had an organ and player piano that were used to accompany the silent films. In 1922, a new American Photoplayer was introduced to the Ruby. Dorothy Bragg Peterson of Manson remembered playing this remarkable instrument, when she started playing at the Ruby when she was 16 years old. The photoplayer was located in the orchestra pit in front of the screen. It used music on rolls for each film, similar to a player piano. To enhance the mood of the film, the photoplayer had pulleys and ropes to operate horns and drums for special effects to accompany the music.
In 1930, with the growing popularity of films in Chelan, especially with the men working on the Chelan Dam, the Ruby could afford to purchase talking picture equipment. The first talkie film shown at the Ruby, “Sweetie, was shown on March 20, 1930.
While the horseshoe balcony and pressed tin ceiling have preserved the early feel of the interior, other changes were necessary to adapt to the film industry and changing customer standards, to continue to meet the entertainment needs of the community. Restrooms were improved and concessions were added. In 1947, a new “tube” Mirrophonic sound system was added, along with the Motiographic AA Projector. In 1974, the arch above the stage was widened by two feet, to adjust to the new cinema size. The aisles were also widened and lit. In the 1980’s a thrust stage was added, and in 1989, the seats were reupholstered.
In 1993, the owners purchased auditorium lights that had come from the Orpheum Theater in Portland, which was torn down in the 1970’s. In 1995, the interior walls were painted to reflect the imagery of the theatre, and in 1997 the lobby was renovated. A new sound system replaced the 1947 “tube” system in April 1999. Concession stand marble from a turn-of–the- century Portland hotel tops the 1999 candy counter in the remodeled concession area. The old seats were replaced in 2008 with new, comfortable seats. Vintage seats donated to the theatre were installed in the balcony and three front rows.
Operations and Management
The motto of the Ruby in 1915 was “Comfort and Courtesy, Clean, Wholesome Dramas and Good Projection. After a year in operation, Mr. Potter wrote that the movie house was attracting a “better class of clientele”, and the business of entertainment was “dignified, legitimate and respectable”, which implies that a few townsfolk were not so sure about that. Furthermore, the quality of film production was in its infancy.
Tickets were 15 cents for general admission and 25 cents for balcony and the first three rows. Children’s tickets cost 10 cents. The cost of a matinee was 10 and 15 cents, but three potatoes were the price of admission for at least one matinee in 1914.
While films or “photo-dramas” were usually shown every day, live shows were also popular. The Ruby hosted a local orchardist and ventriloquist, King Kennedy and other celebrities. Through the early years, the Ruby was used for films, vaudeville and minstrel shows, high school debates, local drama club productions, graduations and concerts. Early managers tried to attract viewers with free coffee giveaways, and other gimmicks. Educational films and news reels, the use of a film series (damsel in distress tied to railroad track, how will it end? come to the movies next week and find out!), and films with famous celebrities, like Mary Pickford, Marguerite Clark, Charlie Chaplin and Will Rogers attracted some early loyal movie-goers.
In 1918 movies were still an uncertain business, so after managing the theatre for four years, Mr. Potter and his wife and daughter moved to Vantage, WA to operate the river ferry. A local movie club was organized to keep the films going for the remainder of the year, until R. A. Kelsey, a barber from Omak, agreed to manage the theatre. Kelsey moved his wife, five children and an uncle to Chelan. While their home was under construction, the Kelsey’s lived in two rooms in the backstage. The uncle slept in front of the screen, while Kelsey’s sons slept in the men’s restroom.
By 1925, the Chelan PTA approved educational matinees for children, which probably helped boost business. The Kelsey family eventually bought the theatre and managed it until 1937. From 1937 to 1974 they leased the Ruby to a series of managers until they sold the building and business to Tony and Sharon Stokes. Leah Sluis and Dolores Holt owned the theatre from 1978 to1989. Fred & Jean Payne and Larry Hibbard purchased the Ruby on April Fools Day 1989 when the community was at risk of losing its only movie theatre. Larry Hibbard and his wife, Mary Murphy purchased Jean Payne’s interest in the theater in 2006. Our current Theatre Manager, Alison Koehler endeavors to mix the house venue of popular first run movies with many other community events.
The Ruby has remained true to its roots as Chelan’s community theatre since 1914. Recently it has hosted fundraising concerts, mock trials for attorneys’ workshops, family reunions, operas, dance recitals, school plays, and the local writer’s club readings. The Ruby Theatre also continues its tradition of showing the best in modern films presenting, “CINEMA IN MEMORABLE SURROUNDINGS.”
