IN WORCESTER, NICOLE TELLS US, THEATERGOERS WENT TO THE OLYMPIA.
♪ NICOLE: IT IS EASY TO OVERLOOK.
A HISTORICAL LANDMARK ON PLEASANT STREET IN WORCESTER.
THE ONLY SIGN ON THE OUTSIDE OF WHAT WAS ONCE THE HUB OF NIGHTLIFE HERE.
MOSAIC TILES AT THE FEET OF UNREMARKABLE DOORS LEADING TO THE THEATER.
>> IT IS A MAGNIFICENT BUILDING MADE FROM FINE QUALITY MATERIALS.
IT IS IRREPLACEABLE.
NICOLE: DEBRA PACKARD, WITH WORCESTER’S PRESERVATION SOCIETY SAYS THIS SPACE ORIGINALLY OPENED IN 1891 AS LOTHROP’S OPERA HOUSE.
IT IS ONE OF THE FEW THEATERS PERHAPS FROZEN IN TIME.
COVERED IN YEARS OF NEGLECT, BROKEN DOWN THIS OF THE GRAND DECOR THOUGH THEY TRY, CANNOT MASK THE BEAUTY OF THE PAST.
♪ >> YOU SEE THE STAGE.
ONE OR TWO LIGHTS AND YOU KNOW THERE WERE LIGHTS ALL AROUND THE STAGE.
IT IS JUST -- I CAN’T IMAGINE HOW EXCITING THAT WAS TO COME HERE AND SEE THOSE LIGHTS.
NICOLE: CHAIRS BEATEN-DOWN BY THE WEIGHT OF TIME WITH INTRICATE CARVINGS DEKE THROUGH INSULATION THAT ONCE KEPT THE SOUNDS OF PERFORMANCE TIGHTLY SURROUNDING AUDIENCES OF UP TO
1300 PEOPLE.
>> IT’S A GREAT COMBINATION OF THE ENERGY OF THE PAST.
WHEN IT FIRST OPENED, IT WAS VERY UNUSUAL BECAUSE THE ORCHESTRA WAS ALL-FEMALE.
I WOULD LIKE TO ENVISION WHAT WAS GOING ON ESPECIALLY SINCE IT HAS HAD SO MANY ITERATIONS.
>> ♪ NICOLE: ITERATIONS THAT CALLED FOR AN EVOLVING CLIENTELE.
>> A THEATER VENUE.
THEN LATER ON IT BECAME A CINEMA AND THEN A SO-CALLED FINE ARTS CINEMA.
NICOLE: FINE ARTS MEANING?
>> MEANING, RISQUE.
PORNOGRAPHY, I GUESS YOU WOULD CALL IT?
♪ NICOLE: TORN AND TATTERED, THE ONCE ELEGANT RED CARPETS STILL COVERED THE CREAKING STEPS THAT LEAD TO THE BALCONY AND A TREASURE-HUNT OF SORTS.
THAT IS WHERE WE MET THE BUILDINGS CARETAKER, GLENN PIEPER, ONE OF THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO HAS BEEN INSIDE APPEAR THE LAST DECADE.
>> IT’S JUST NOSTALGIC COMING HERE.
THEY USED TO USE IT, RAISE THE CURTAINS.
PROP RATINGS UP ABOVE.
NICOLE: WHILE HE HOPES THE CURTAIN WILL ONCE AGAIN RISE ON THE STAGE, HE HOLDS DEAR TO THEATRICAL ANTIQUES STILL IN WORKING ORDER.
>> THIS IS AWESOME.
WHAT IS IT?
>> IT IS A PROJECTOR.
WHAT THEY USED TO DO THE OLD MOVIES WITH.
NICOLE: HOW DID IT WORK?
>> THEY USED A CARBON ROD WHICH WOULD CREATE THAT AND IT WOULD BE LIKE WELDING.
THEY USED THE BRIGHT LIGHT.
♪ NICOLE: LIKE A HOLLYWOOD ENDING, PIEPER HOPES FOR REVIVAL HERE.
>> IT IS SO EXCITING FOR ME TO THINK OF WHAT IT COULD BECOME.
I THINK THIS CAN BE A REALLY SPECIAL PLACE.
♪ NICOLE: HAD A FEW MILES EAST AND YOU WILL FIND I A SPECIAL SLOT FROM ONE DRIVING THEATERS BROUGHT FAMILY OUT.
>> THE HEYDAY OF THE DRIVE-INS, THE 50’S AND 60’S.
NICOLE: LONG, VACANT AND OVERGROWN, THE LARGE IMPOSING SIGN OF THE EDGEMERE DRIVE-IN STILL OUT UNDER ROCKS 20.
A FRAGMENTED REMINDER BEGGING FOR THOUGHTS OF DAYS LONG GONE.
>> HE RETURNED TWO LINES OF CARS ALTHOUGH IT OUT TO ROUTE 20, WITH T POLICE OFFICERS DOING TRAFFIC.
NICOLE: A PAST TIME THAT GREW QUICKLY AND FIZZLED OUT FASTER THAN THE BUBBLES IN THE LIME RICKEY.
>> WENT VIDEOTAPES AND VCRS CAME OUT, THAT WAS THE START OF THE DEMISE OF THE DRIVE-INS.
THERE WERE A LOT OF THEM AROUND.
NICOLE: THE EDGEMERE IS NOW 76 ACRES OF POTENTIAL.
IT SCREENED ITS LAST SHOW IN SHAYNA: THE EDGEMERE DRIVE-IN SITE WILL SOON SEE , A SUPERMARKET IN 250 APARTMENTS.
AS FOR THE OLYMPIA THEATER IN WI ALL-STAR, A 2019 COUPLE STEPPED FORTH WITH PLANS TO REPURPOSE THE PROPERTY FOR A VENUE FOR LIVE MUSIC.
THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GO ON WITH THOSE PLANS BECAUSE OF COVID-19.
THE PROPERTY REMAINS