During the past several years, we”ve had a number of people come forward to help rebuild the old Lakeport Theatre. One such person, Donna Peterson, came by one day and said, “I had my first date here with Danny Patten.”
Peterson joined our volunteers and brought with her stories of the theater, written by her classmates and many other members of the community. It is astonishing how many stories there are about this old building. Over the next several weeks, I will share some of these stories. They represent how important a place this old theatre is to our community.
After World War II, Bob Reese returned to Lakeport to work in his father”s theater, which was located across Main Street where Flowers by Jackie is currently located. In 1947 he and his father built a new and much larger Lakeport Theatre.
Reese had worked in his father”s theater throughout his childhood, not realizing he would spend his lifetime operating movie theaters in Lakeport. He shared this work with his wife, Margaret. Margaret wrote the following story about the theater and how she got there:
“When I was a junior in high school, my boyfriend and I went to the show. We were sitting in the two-seaters (that is what they were called then) … We were kinda watching the show. We happened to be kissing or necking and Mr. Reese (as Bob was called) came up and told us, ?Do that somewhere else!” Little did I know I would be marrying him some years later!
“About the same month, he stopped me as I was going into the show and asked me if I would like a job. I lived way out in Scotts Valley and it was too far to drive late at night, so I had to say no. Again, little did I know I would be working for the Lakeport Theatre for 50 years doing everything from janitor work to cashiering, ushering, candy girl and being a manager.” Margaret married Bob Reese in 1952, and together they provided movies for Lake County. For more than 50 years, they babysat our children and treated us all like we were theirs. Later, they built and operated the Lakeport Cinema down the road.
In 1997 they sold the old theater to the Lake County Arts Council. Thank you Bob and Margaret for all the years and thanks Margaret for the story.
By the way; Peterson”s Clear Lake High class of 1962 is holding its 50th class reunion at the Soper-Reese Community Theatre. Do you think they”ll try out the two-seaters?
There are several ways you can experience the magic of the Soper-Reese Community Theatre. You can join us for one of our Second Tuesday Classic Movies, starting at 6 p.m. You can even sit in one of those two-seaters and if you want to steal a kiss from your date, I don”t think we”ll mind. If Bob were here he wouldn”t mind either.
Don”t forget New Years Eve at the Soper-Reese featuring the LC Diamonds. Doors open at 8 p.m. Tickets are available at the Travel Center in the Shoreline Shopping Center, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., or at the theater box office on Thursday and Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For all the latest in information, tickets and more go to www.soperreesetheatre.com and we”ll see you at the theater.
Mike Adams is executive director of the Soper-Reese Community Theatre.
