Press Release

Restoration

Date:12/29/11

COLDWATER, MI—

As Tibbits Opera House readies for restoration of its beautiful architectural façade, ground work is being laid for a documentary about the preservation effort, the value of restoration and the unique elements of  the Tibbits project.

Documentarian Michael Mort and his Equity Studios met with Tibbits staff and others close to the project to lay out a proposal for creating a 30 to 60 minute documentary on the restoration. The main character of the piece will be the Tibbits Opera House, built in 1882, and the story of its history and preserving an architectural gem; however the universal tale is that of the value of preserving these treasures of our past and the effort that goes into such a challenge. The documentary is being designed as a piece with state and national distribution potential.

The idea began with the simple desire to document the façade restoration in the way the construction and installation of the cupola was recorded: time-elapsed photos turned into a video condensing two weeks into less than two-minutes. The challenge being, the façade will be covered with scaffolding and a protective weather barrier during the work preventing the use of a stationary camera. Additionally, some of the special crafts important to the effort will be done off site. Recognizing the Tibbits restoration is truly one-of-a-kind requiring rare craftsmanship and a nearly lost art, Brian Black, General Manager of Grand River Builders proposed having a professional record the work.

Mort was contacted and excited about the possibilities the Tibbits project offers. He brings with him a wealth of experience and knowledge about Michigan history and preservation work. He is the author of “A Bridge worth Saving: A community guide for the preservation of historical bridges.” He has won awards from the Historical Society of Michigan and the Michigan Historic Preservation Network for his contribution to historical preservation in the state.  His historical documentary credits include “Michigan Avenue” a film series seen on Michigan PBS, and topics covering Michigan’s historic bridges, lighthouses, one room schools, inns, museums and even Michigan wines.  He also created the locally-seen production “From Moccasins to Main Street” about the US-12 Heritage Trail.

An initial meeting on the documentary included Mort, Black, former state Senator Cameron Brown, and Tibbits representatives Executive Director Christine Delaney, Special Events/ Development Coordinator Lori Gunthorp and Board President and local historian, Randall Hazelbaker.

The Tibbits façade is unique in that it is a complete restoration starting from a nearly clean slate and involving the major crafts required in preservation—masonry, metal, stone and carpentry. Some painting is also included though it’s not the detailed restorative painting that will occur when the theatre’s interior is restored in the future. According to Black, “This project offers an opportunity to show the craftsmanship inherent in these old buildings, while also telling the common story of how to raise awareness and funds to make restoration happen in any community.”

Filming has already begun with plenty of “before” footage of the theatre in its current state and hundreds of photos of the original façade, the movie theatre Art Deco facade, the 1960s brick covering and the demolition and discovery which took place last March. Theatre staff members are developing a timeline as it relates to the theatre’s history and the restoration effort and will be creating a list of individuals to interview to complete the story.

Tibbits Opera House is located at 14 South Hanchett Street in Coldwater, Michigan. For more information, to make a donation to the restoration or to learn about sponsorship opportunities for the documentary call the theatre at 517-278-6029 or visit www.Tibbits.org.