All but a small amount of painting, placing the seats, and stage setting, is finished on the new theater at 102 East Grand Avenue, which will be opened sometime in September, according to the management. The theater has been cleared of all construction work and the floors are being cleaned this week.

The Poncan Theatre opened on September 20. Thirty minutes before the opening show, uniformed ushers led the sidewalk crowd into the lobby. The 1200 seats filled fast. Tickets were $1.10 for the lower floor and loges, while balcony seats were 50 cents. The short subject reel featured "Our Gang," in Harvard vs. Yale, followed by Shanghai Bound, a Paramount film. Added attractions were two vaudeville acts.

The building was owned by the Poncan Theater Co., comprised of Charles Calkins, George Brett, Eugene Wetzel, and Dr. JA. Douglass. Calkins founded the C.F. Calkins Department Store. Brett had the George H. Brett Implement Co. next door; Wetzel owned the Germania National Bank and Dr. Douglass was a dentist.

The Poncan, designed by the Boiler Brothers as an "atmospheric theater," had elaborate ceilings and ornamentation, giving one the feeling of being somewhere exotic. The building cost $280,000 including equipment plus it had a new $22,500 Wurlitzer pipe organ. Usher service at the Poncan was by far the most elaborate ever offered in Ponca City and very unusual for a city of this size, according to Fred Pickrel, the managing director of the new theater. There was a footman at the main entrance, and maid service in the women's restrooms.

In addition to movies on opening night, Vera Byerhoff, chief organist for the Poncan, played an organ solo on the new Wurlitzer.

Troy Wideman (Joe Wideman's father) was the first projectionist. While the theater was being constructed, Troy's job was to set up the interior operation, including the stage, scenery, lighting, sound system and other mechanical and electrical needs. Wideman's crew did the gold leaf work on the ceiling, and Wideman himself created the cloud ceiling and starlight effect.

The Poncan is one of the few its size that doesn't have pillars to support the balcony. The support comes from a 5-foot thick "I-beam" that spans the entire width of the building. The "I-beam" was brought in on a series of flat cars, with a crane at each end.

Part of the vaudeville equipment was an on-stage elevator, which was unheard of in those days. The elevator moved furniture up and down for plays and was also used for magic acts.

In addition to movies, an outstanding list of road shows was booked for the season. Top price for admission was $1.50. The live presentations were one night stands.
1928 - Manager Fred Pickrel brought in musicals, plays, and famous entertainers such as John Phillip Sousa Band, Sigmund Romberg & Sally Rand, who appeared on stage with only her fans and a large transparent bubble balloon.

Charles Curtis, a Kansas senator, spoke from the stage of The Poncan. A Republican, Curtis visited Ponca City to campaign for Herbert Hoover for president and for himself as a vice presidential nominee. Francis Smith Carron, head of music for the Ponca City Schools and a prominent Republican, introduced Curtis.

The theater was packed plus 500 more people stood outside the theater listening to Curtis’ speech over a loudspeaker system. His swing through the area on September 29 included the stop at the Poncan, a trip to Kaw City, where he visited a relative, and then an appearance in Pawnee. He came back to Ponca City the next day, and spoke again at the Poncan. He then visited with Lew Wentz at the Arcade Hotel. Wentz was the most prominent Republican in the state at that time.

1929 - Sound was added for movies, and in April, the first talkies were shown in Ponca City. Smitty's Boys and Men’s Wear staged their first annual Kiddies Show.

1931 - Will Rogers performed on Feb. 5, and it was the largest attendance they had ever had in the theater.

Mary Pickford bought up all other silent films. She felt that new technical advances in the movies made actors in old films look ridiculous.

On April 20, Ethel Barrymore appeared live in "The Love Duel" on the stage of the Poncan.

1933 - Aug. 25, 1933, the Poncan closed due to two lawsuits - one by lessors of the Poncan for back rent; and one by Pickrel to establish a prior lien on Poncan equipment. The suits were dismissed and Pickrel proceeded under a new agreement with the lessors. On Sept. 10, the Poncan reopened.

1934 - Movie attendance increased to 70 million people a week throughout the United States.

The "Production Code" was introduced in Hollywood; setting guidelines for every film's moral content.

Smitty's Boys & Men’s Wear sponsored an annual style show at the Poncan. Admission was a lead pencil from each patron that Smitty then donated to the schools. The audience watched film strips of "Our Gang," "Three Stooges," and cartoons. The highlight of the show was the Pie Eating contest.

1935 - Jan 2 - "The Green Pastures" a live Pulitzer Prize winning play was presented on the Poncan stage. Tickets prices were $2.24, $1.64, and $1.12, which included tax.
October - The Tovarich Road Show presented "Tobacco Road."

December - Jeanette MacDonald starred in "The Firefly" on the Poncan stage.

1936 - Variety" listed America's most popular movie stars - #1 - Shirley Temple; #2 – Clark Gable

1937 - Periodically, the theater sponsored "Bank Night" in an effort to boost attendance. Each patron was given a number and the numbers were drawn for a pool of money. If the winning number was not present, the pot was increased. At times, it was as much as $600 and the crowd was so large they had to stand outside and listen via a loud speaker system.

Walt Disney released the first feature length cartoon - Snow White

1938 - MGM bought the movie rights to the famous children's book, The Wizard of Oz. Some of the theater seats were upgraded.

On May 1, Fred Pickrel sold his three theaters - the Poncan, Ritz, and Murray to the Griffith Amusement Co., operators of a large "chain" theater system in Oklahoma and Texas. Pickrel told his friends he might take a trip with the Ringling Brothers circus "for a vacation."

1939 - A brilliant new marquee was installed on the front of the theater. It was powered with neon lights that were maroon, yellow and blue. It also had a three-sided; two row "letterboard," that identified the movie title and the cast (The current marquee is patterned after the 1939 one.) The inside and outside lobbies were redecorated with new poster cases. Bob Browning was the manager, employed by Consolidated Theaters, Inc., owners of the Poncan.

Mickey Rooney became the new #1 box office draw. His "Andy Hardy" pictures for MGM were the biggest moneymakers in the studio's history. Claudette Colbert & Bing Crosby was Hollywood's highest paid actors, each earning $400,000 a year.

1947 - "The Red House", a terrific murder mystery, played at the theater. It starred Edward G. Robinson, Lon McABester (he was "very hot" in 1947), Rory Calhoun Julie London, and Dame Judith Anderson. An 11 year old Ponca City girl who saw the film had nightmares about it for years, but still wanted to see it again...which she finally did on video in 1987.
In 1990, she wrote a letter to the Poncan, sharing her story and her memories of the theater as a child.

1954 - New carpet was laid in the theater, and the seats were upgraded, some being replaced.

1955 - In an attempt to revive interest in theater-going, the Poncan was remodeled, the marquee was enlarged, and a flame-proof waterfall type curtain was substituted for the original curtains. The original heating and air conditioning system was replaced with a 68-ton air conditioning system. There were newly tiled concession stands inside the newly carpeted lobby and bright new uniforms for the staff. The 1,000 new posture-design theater seats were installed on the main floor and the balcony. Original mezzanine furnishings were replaced with new furniture from Jay G. Paris, who had furnished the Poncan in 1927.

Mayor Herman Smith welcomed the patrons to the refurbished theater on Christmas Eve. The featured movie was Artists and Models, starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.

1956 - A wide range of recently released films were offered, enticing patrons to come back to the newly remodeled Poncan. These shows included The Tender Trap starring Frank Sinatra and Debbie Reynolds; All That Heaven Allows with Jane Wyman and Rock Hudson, and The Atomic Monster starring Lon Chaney.

1957 - Children, together with a few parents, extended from corner to comer on Saturday morning, April 6, as they waited for the theater to open. It was the 28th annual Kid's Party sponsored by Smitty's, and the boys and girls packed the theater. Following the movie, the Boy Scouts advanced the colors, the audience sang "America," and gave the Pledge of Allegiance. Three groups of dance students performed, then an accordion solo, a comedy song and dance number, and a fashion show. The hit of the day was the Pie Eating Contest George Goldsmith, an Attacks student, successfully defended his pie-eating title when he defeated eight boys and three girls. The A&M Dairy furnished treats for the party.

1962 - The marquee was enlarged again, and downstairs restrooms were added to the theatre.

1965 - On November 25, the Poncan advertised the movie "Monsters Crash the Pajama Party."
The movie was to start at 11:30 p.m., and seats were 90 cents.

The ad read:
"So scary we dare you to attend...IF YOU HAVE THE NERVE, you win FREE a 2 for 1 pass to a future movie."
"Movie monsters come alive; Monsters come out of the screen! Invade audience!!
They carry girl victims back into the picture to become slaves in the movie, never to be seen alive again! Beware…they might get you!"
Warning!! Monsters run loose, sit on your lap…Can You Take It??
Not 3-D - Real flesh and blood monsters alive in the audience!!!
For the horror thrill of your life, see what happens to the pajama party girls when they meet the mad doctor's girl-crazed monsters. Monsters capture beauties, 1001 exciting scenes.
Girls - bring your boyfriend to protect you. See if he's man or mouse.
PLUS—second feature so shocking we can't advertise what's in it!

1974 - Reclining seats were installed on the ground level of the theater.

1985 - The theater was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Ironically, the theater closed its doors.

1989 - The Convention & Visitors Bureau authorized $2500 toward a feasibility study to determine if the theatre was worth saving.

1990 - The dream of restoring the historically significant Poncan Theatre began in earnest in June, with the kickoff of a membership drive. The goal was to raise $930,000 to restore the 1927 theater and operate it as a performing arts center. The restoration was slated be done in four phases:

1. Replace the roof and update the mechanical, electrical, and sound systems. Get new stage lighting and architectural lighting. Update plumbing. Clean up dressing rooms and fly loft.
    
2. Have seats cleaned and repaired, clean carpeting, address plaster work, revamp offices, update concession area, remove plywood and ceiling tile in the lobby. Also restore the floor, add furnishings, work on the orchestra pit and hydraulic lift, the stage floor and the movie screen.
    
3. The exterior package called for new marquee, stained glass panels, cleaning and repairing masonry, reworking windows and the ticket booth.
    
4. The wish list included an organ, grand piano, fire escapes, sprinklers, fire curtain, projector booth and equipment, architectural interior signs, and backlighting for stained glass.

Joe Harris of Muskogee donated renovated projectors to the theater. The projectors had originally been in a Tulsa theater. Don Dobbs, who worked for the OSU Educational Television Department, spent months rejuvenating the projectors.

Barney and Geneva Alston, long time employees at the Poncan, donated their American flag to the theater. It had flown over the building on many special occasions, particularly on the 4th of July, marking Independence Day and also the birthday of Don Hall, theater manager for many years.

A Humphrey Bogart Classic Film Festival played during July, featuring The African Queen with Kathryn Hepburn, The Treasure of Sierra Madre with Walter Huston, To Have and Have Not with Lauren Bacall in her film debut, and The Big Sleep, again with Bacall and Casablanca with Ingrid Bergman. This summer was the 50th anniversary of the making of the film.

1991 - In October, volunteers were chosen to participate in a local fund drive. Team leaders were Jim McNeese, Charles Hollar, Charles Casey, David Mills, and Tom Quillin.
On November 2, the theater presented "Bring Back the Magic...a Preview of the Poncan."

Patrons filled the lower level of the theater, and most kept their coats on all evening. The heating system was non-existent, and even with all the warm bodies, the thermostat never registered above 50 degrees.

Tableaux with live mannequins were set up at the concession stand, the box office in 1934, and the 1941 balcony. Mike Boettcher was the emcee, and he entertained the audience with his memories of sitting in the balcony as a teenager. Kevin Kem danced, Ponca Playhouse performed excerpts from "Cotton Patch Gospel", the Po High Orchestra played, and then everyone watched the silent film, "Cops" with Buster Keaton. Tours of the theater followed the entertainment.

The Poncan Theatre Board named JoAnn Muchmore as director. Ms. Muchmore indicated one of her principal reasons for returning to Ponca City to assume the theater position was the importance of saving the Poncan for generations to come.

"My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys" starring Ben Johnson played for 3 nights in August. Don Dobbs, projectionist, used the old reel-to-reel projectors to show the film.

1992 - Restoration began in earnest and the original building was brought back to life:

• The stage floor was replaced
• Hydraulics were added so the pit could be raised and lowered
• A computerized lighting system and a new sound system were added
• The concession area and restroom facilities were enlarged.

It took 15 tons of new plaster to repair the deteriorated interior.

Dupont reproduced the original carpet.

Ponca City Main Street awarded the "Best Renovation under $2,000" to the theater, when the only completed area was the box office.

On March 28, Poncan Theatre Company "actors" presented the first annual "Taste and Tasteless" performance.

In November, the Poncan closed to the public so professionals could install all new mechanical equipment.

1993 - The theatre hosted a community telethon as a fund raiser, and involved many city organizations and talent. On February 13, from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., the telethon was broadcast on Channel 2, Post Newsweek Cable, and simulcast on WBBZ, who also hosted the first two hours of the program. Jerry Webber, Channel 2 TV newsman, former Ponca Citian, was the master of ceremonies. Other emcees throughout the day were Mark Jordan, Sam Murray, Phil Bandy, and Foster Johnson.

WBBZ employees commemorated the station's first broadcast in 1927 from the Poncan Theatre stage. Dave May and Joe Anderson were emcees for the morning events. KPNC, KLOR, and KIXR radio stations also participated.

The First Christian Church choir was first on the program, followed by the library Children's Story, an Old Fashioned Radio Show featuring WBBZ employees, ventriloquists, woodwind ensemble, puppeteer, and a drill team. The Chamber of Commerce presented a tourism video at noon. That afternoon included the Zen Okies acoustic band; St. John's Baptist Church choir, a video of the Po-Hi Highsteppers, Ponca Tribal dancing, Les Gilliam, and the high school speech department presenting a reenactment of the Lincoln/Douglas debates. Spectators and viewers at home also heard Cynthia Crowe, country singer, followed by Lyda Maze clog dancing. Po Hi string quartet and also the Civic Orchestra Brass Ensemble performed. The Sweet Adelines, Ponca Playhouse with a tap dance number from "Nunsense, and square dancers wrapped up the afternoon. The River Rats Jazz and Comedy Concert took to the stage that evening.

Listeners in the community called in pledges on the air. Many people came to the theatre and enjoyed the acts in person, and made pledges. The telethon rose over $26,000.
Conoco announced a grant of $150,000 to the Poncan restoration fund drive. The theater also received a $150,000 grant from the Mabee Foundation in Tulsa, which the Poncan matched with incoming pledges and "in kind" volunteer labor.

As a celebration of the Cherokee Strip Centennial, local actors and musicians presented "The Gift of Willie Cry," an original musical written by Earl Sutton with Leslie Rardin, and cowboy poet Dave May. JoAnn Muchmore directed more than 45 cast members. The show played to a full house for each of the three performances, June 25-27.

Another innovative "fund raiser" was created and crafted by Susan Buck. She took material from the 1955 theater curtain and made 500 stuffed teddy bears. The "animals" were nicknamed "Boiler Bears," after the Poncan architects. Theater volunteers sold the bears for $50 each—and they sold out!

In February, new air conditioning units were lifted through the hole where the stained glass window would eventually be hung.

In March a new marquee was installed, constructed by Stolhand Heat & Air, Ponca Glass, and Wally's Signs.

The stained glass round window was installed in October. Stolhand did the metal work, and Joe Welch waterproofed the front of the building.

The two six-foot chandeliers above the balcony were restored.

1994 - Audiences cheered an encore performance of "The Gift of Willie Cry," with most of the same cast from 1993.

The Poncan held its grand reopening and open house on September 18. For the first time in many years, visitors saw the hand painted stage curtain that features an outdoor Mediterranean garden with the ocean visible in the distance. The artists signed it "Kansas City Scenic 1927." The million dollar restoration was complete.

1995 - A new Dolby sound system was installed in April.

The theater was awarded the best exterior renovation in the state at the annual Oklahoma Main Street banquet.

1996 - "1964: The Tribute," the best-known group in the world who imitates The Beatles, played at the Poncan on August 9.

The Poncan won a major award at the state Main Street banquet. It was voted the best interior renovation in the state.

In July, the state conference of city managers convened in Ponca City. The Poncan provided evening entertainment for the visiting dignitaries. Volunteers produced a live vaudeville show with local artists portraying Sally Rand, W. C. Fields and other famous stars of the Roaring 20's.

In September, the Adult Literacy Council sponsored the second "Grate Ponca City Spelling Bee" on the stage of the theater.

The gilded plaster strip above the front doors was painted three times, after Kilz treatments, and each time, it came back greenish black. Bobby Holroyd, an artist, treated it with "guaranteed poison" for the fungus it seemed to have, and painted it a fourth time. And it turned black again, with the splotches of green showing through. Some thought it was the blood of the ghost seeping down from upstairs. Or, does anyone know where they stored the popcorn oil in the early days?

1997 - The theater received a $124,000 endowment from the estate of Edythe DeMar, a longtime Poncan and Conoco employee.

On February 1st, Kenn Wessel was hired as the new Executive Director, following JoAnn Muchmore's retirement.

1998 - Stars that performed as part of the season, "A Little Bit of Country," included Riders in the Sky, Baxter Black, The Diamonds, and The Lettermen.

1999 - Recording artists that appeared at the theater...Glen Campbell, Hank Williams III, Asleep at the Wheel, Gary Puckett, and The Diamonds.

2000 - 1964: The Tribute, a Beatles show, returned for an encore performance. The season performers were Kathy Mattea, Oak Ridge Boys, Gary Lewis and the Playboys, The Platters and The Marvelettes, and Mitch Ryder. Michael Varnum was hired as Manager of the theatre. Kenn Wessel had resigned to seek his fortune in Washington...state, that is.

2001 - The theater expanded its live offerings. There were nine artists who appeared during the season. Peter Noone of Herman's Hermits, Charlie Daniels Band, Johnny Rivers, Bob Wills Texas Playboys, Three Dog Night's Chuck Negron, Maynard Ferguson, Les Gilliam, Crystal Gayle, and Little River Band.

2002 - Again, there were many live presentations for Poncan patrons to choose from - The Kingston Trio, The Original Drifters, John Mueller as Buddy Holly, Michael Martin Murphy, Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers, 1964: The Tribute, The Lettermen, Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys re-enactors, and Tony Orlando for the Christmas Show.

2003 - Live acts were The Lovin' Spoonful, Kathy Mattea, The Association, Mel Tillis, Boots Randolph, and the Glenn Miller Orchestra.