THE FUTURE
PRESERVING MEMORIES & CREATING NEW ONES
A funny kind of magic happens when you restore a theater in a quiet corner of an old downtown. As people come to see great music, theater, and art, they also bring money for dinner out and coffee or drinks after and so a renaissance quietly takes place and a thriving and vibrant district takes root where once there were empty storefronts and vacant lots.
But what kind of shows might you expect to see at the Holly Theatre that could drive that sort of a vibrant community? The following are just a few of the hundreds of shows we've presented at our sister theater--Redding's Cascade Theatre. The same size as the Holly in a very similar community, the Cascade has fueled a major revitalization of Redding's downtown core. Similar programming here will help the Holly add more than $3.2 million annually to the Medford economy and create over 106 full-time equivalent jobs in the neighborhood surrounding the theater while bringing 10,000 hotel guests to the region each winter. Stats from Americans for the Arts "Arts and Economic Prosperity 5" study.
Many of the artists that have played our Cascade Theatre (a few of whom are above) haven't visited the Rogue Valley--or have only done so in the summer months when the region's outdoor venues can be open. With the largest indoor seating capacity of any Oregon venue south of Eugene (40% larger in fact), the Holly Theatre's goal is to bring many of these artists to our region. Along with film festivals, San Francisco Opera and classic films on our screen and many community events, the Holly's goal is to add to the plethora of reasons to love, live in and visit our region, not to duplicate the many fine options already here.
A study commissioned by our funding partners proves that if the Cascade Theatre's programming were duplicated here, there would be less than a 1% overlap in shows with other Medford venues. So what does that mean? It means more events and greater variety and even more reasons to look forward to a night out on the town!
Study commissioned by the Carpenter Foundation
At 1,025 seats, the Holly Theatre will be 40% larger than the next largest indoor venue in Southern Oregon. And with a 200+ person new flexible meeting space, there are even more ways the theater can be used to benefit the community. With a proactive small-business program, job training programs, arts education for 15,000 school kids annually and other community outreach components, the theater is actively taking steps to ensure it will have the maximum impact in creating further vibrancy in downtown Medford and our region upon opening.
With its stunning 1930 interior--the only surviving of the five original movie palaces that once stood in downtown--it will also be a fun and elegant showplace for the whole community. And with three full bars and concession areas, a night at the Holly will be a fun-filled experience. Ample nearby parking, numerous restaurant and after-show options make for the perfect end to a great night out and add to the theater's economic impact.