2011 League of Historic American Theatres Announces Awards

The League of Historic American Theatres, Inc., celebrating excellence in the preservation, restoration and sustainable operation of historic theatres throughout North America, presented its 2011 Outstanding Historic Theatre Award to Fox Theatre/Atlanta Landmarks, Inc. in Atlanta, GA and its 2011 Outstanding Individual Contribution Award to Jeff Greene, President of EverGreene Architectural Arts, Inc. in New York, NY.

League President James Boese, Vice President of Nederlander Producing Company of America, New York, NY, announced the awards during a luncheon on July 13, 2011, opening the League’s 35 th Anniversary Conference, hosted by Proctors in Schenectady, NY, a community transformed through the efforts of a single historic theatre.

Presenting the Outstanding Historic Theatre Award to Molly Fortune, Director of Restoration, Boese acknowledged the Atlanta Fox Theatre’s significant accomplishments and excellence in community impact, quality of programs and services, quality of physical restoration and ability to inspire excellence among other historic theatres. John Bell, President & CEO of the Tampa Theatre in Tampa, FL, who nominated the Fox for the annual award, praised the “Fabulous Fox” as “a monumental success story in our field.”

“Atlanta’s storied landmark theatre,” said Bell, “is an exemplary institution in which community, preservation, and theatrics come together to create a project worthy of celebration and recognition by the field of historic theatres. Perhaps no other theatre in America has had such a direct and indirect impact on so many other historic theatres as the Fox. One of the early success stories in America’s historic theatre movement, the Fox inspired countless communities across the South and the nation to rediscover their own community’s historic theatres, which were often abandoned, neglected and endangered.

Its high profile dramatic rescue galvanized the resolve of many other communities to save and restore their own historic theatre treasures.” The Fox and Atlanta have benefited from savvy management teams which have recognized how to optimize the facility’s assets to maximize income and community access. With 4,678 seats and two full sized ballrooms in a large city, the Fox generates significant box office and event revenues, posting net profits for the past 30 years that have been reinvested in the non-profit theatre’s programs and restoration. The Fox has recently recognized and built upon its unique capacities by creating The Fox Theatre Institute (www.foxtheatreinstitute.org) to foster arts development, preservation standards, community building, and economic development for historic theatres as well as arts communities throughout Georgia.

This first of a kind program is free of charge, funded solely by Atlanta Landmarks, and includes a partnership network of more than 200 organizations throughout the state. The Fox, by example and through the Fox Theatre Institute, serves as a model of success for American historic theaters in programming, in restoration and in financial management. (Over) Presenting the Outstanding Individual Contribution Award to Jeff Greene, President of EverGreene Architectural Arts, Inc., League President Boese praised Greene’s vision, dedication and significant contributions, materially assisting in the restoration and preservation of nearly 200 historic theatres, contributing to their continued servIce To their communities.

Donald Telford, President and CEO of San Diego Theatres in San Diego, CA, in his nomination described Jeff Greene’s and his company’s key role in the study, research, investigation, planning and restoration of historic theatres in at least 32 states. “In many of these projects,” Telford said, “Jeff helped community leaders and theatre managers who possessed passion and vision for the restoration of their theatre, but needed expertise, experience and knowledge to realize their dreams.” Since founding his company in 1978, Jeff Greene has led its growth into one of the largest and most prominent painting and decorative arts studios in the U.S. Throughout his career, Greene has revived nearly forgotten artistic and decorative techniques by learning from aging masters in the U.S. and abroad, including decorative painting, fine art and architectural ornament, ornamental plaster, scagliola, marble and metals.

With extensive knowledge of both the formulation of historic and modern paints, as well as the history of their application, Jeff Greene often serves as a consultant for the restoration of historic interior finishes, including scientific conservation testing and the preparation of paint and plaster analysis. A long-time League member and former board member, Greene has contributed generously to the national association, including creating the award statues that the League presents each year, acknowledging excellence in the field of historic theatres. “It is fitting,” said Telford, “that after all his many years of servIce To the League, Jeff receives one these awards, as proper recognition of his outstanding individual contributions to our field.”

About the League of Historic American Theatres, Inc. The League of Historic American Theatres, Inc., a non-profit association dedicated to sustaining America’s historic theatres for the benefit of their communities and future generations, is a growing network of more than 325 historic theatres across the U.S. and Canada. Founded in 1976, the League has been making a strategic transition from an organization best known for a membership that helps save historic theatres to a membership increasingly concerned with the tools, techniques and technologies of sustaining historic theatres. The League serves members through educational programs, publications, specialized services and an annual conference and theatre tour, facilitating the exchange of information and resources for improving their historic theatres, their business and their communities.

For additional information, visit the League’s web site at: www.lhat.org .

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