Copy: The 77-year-old theater underwent a a $12 million renovation in 2005-2006, which added dressing rooms and loading docks as well as increasing the depth of the stage. When the theater reopened in the fall of 2006, control of it converted to private ownership through the nonprofit River Center for the Performing Arts. The Adler's "centerpiece" is touring productions and being rented to community organizations.

History: The Adler Theatre reopened Thursday, Nov. 2, 2006, with festivities including cake, backstage tours and performances by Ballet Quad Cities, Quad City Symphony Orchestra and Opera Quad Cities. Through the years On Oct. 13, 1926, plans for the Radio-Keith-Orpheum, or RKO, Theatre were announced. Built at a cost of $2 million, the RKO-Mississippi Hotel complex was considered an economic miracle. At the theater's opening on Nov. 25, 1931, Davenport and the rest of the country were in the depths of the Great Depression. On that Thanksgiving Eve, the opening-night crowd watched a show that included five vaudeville acts and the movie comedy "Suicide Fleet," starring Bill Boyd, Ginger Rogers, Robert Armstrong and James Gleason. Ginger Rogers sent a telegraphic signal from Hollywood that began the ribbon-cutting ceremonies for the theater's opening. She also sent flowers from the garden of her Hollywood home to Mrs. George M. Bechtel, wife of the theater's developer. The architect for the RKO project was A.S. Graven of Chicago, whose projects included the Drake Hotel in Chicago and the Paramount Theater in New York City. Henry Dreyfuss of New York, who served as an art consultant for the Radio-Keith-Orpheum chain, designed the interior. The beauty of the RKO's art deco style was reflected in its gold leaf ceiling, crystal light fixtures and black ebony, walnut and marble detailing. As the economy improved, the RKO prospered. For many years, it was considered the area's finest theater. All the big "talkies" opened at Iowa's largest movie house. Entertainment legends such as John Barrymore, Liberace, Ella Fitzgerald and Pearl Bailey performed live at the theater during its glory. Eventually, the RKO's large seating capacity and overhead costs, in addition to the smaller multi-screen complexes and shopping mall theaters, contributed to its demise as a first-run movie house. "Cleopatra Jones" was the final film shown at the RKO, on Sept. 11, 1973. After that, the theater occasionally was used for Broadway productions and rock concerts. Nevertheless, the RKO gradually fell into disrepair. In 1981, the Davenport Chamber of Commerce purchased the RKO and donated it to the RiverCenter For The Performing Arts, Inc. This non-profit group was established to raise money from private sources to restore the venue and to operate the facility as a performing arts center. A $4.25 million goal was set, and the community rallied to the cause. Most notable was a $1.3 million endowment gift from Lee Enterprises. To honor that gift, the RKO was renamed the Adler Theatre in memory of publishers E.P. Adler and his son, Philip D. Adler, both known for their charitable and cultural achievements in the community. The massive renovation of the Adler Theatre began in 1984 and continued for two years. The building essentially was gutted and then restored to its former art deco elegance. Original crystal and glass chandeliers were restored. Original seats were rebuilt and reupholstered, and their hand-painted side panels were refurbished. Also, new carpeting was reproduced in England using a roll of the original floral woolen floor covering found during remodeling. The rebirth of the RKO into the magnificent Adler Theatre was finally a reality. The Adler Theatre's curtain rose on April 16, 1986, with a gala concert by Burt Bacharach and the Quad City Symphony Orchestra. As the renovation in the 1980s restored the splendor of the Adler Theatre's public spaces, little was done to address the shortcomings of the backstage areas and the need for a much larger stage to accommodate the requirements of today's touring productions. For that reason, recent renovations in 2005 and 2006 have addressed behind-the-scenes elements that include an increase in critical stage and storage space, enhancement of the sound system, relocation of dressing rooms, installation of a new freight elevator allowing easy access of equipment and stage sets, improvement of lighting and rigging capabilities and replacement of the heating and cooling system. Ultimately, the stage expansion and backstage renovation project will allow the Adler Theatre to provide a greater economic impact, improve performance quality, increase facility usage, operate as a more competitive, cost-effective theater and continue to enhance the quality of life in the Quad-Cities, where the proud tradition of first-rate live entertainment will live on.

Categories: Theatre

Locations: Davenport