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restoration and reinstallation of the Kentucky Theatre’s Wurlitzer
theatre organ will ensure the preservation, public education and
increase awareness of the historical tradition of the theatre organ,
the silent era of motion pictures, and the movie palace venue. This
will be accomplished through regularly scheduled public performances of
this significant musical instrument between movies; through a
subscription concert series and other silent film festival events in
the theater. This theater organ project will bring a significant new
cultural enrichment to Lexington, Kentucky and the region.
A
MIDI Sequencer Computer, to be installed as part of this project, will
allow recording and playback of actual theatre organists and their
concert performances. Recorded tracks from the concert performances
will be archived, selected and played back via the MIDI Sequencer
between movies shown in the theater, an experience unavailable anywhere
in the state of Kentucky.

Kentucky’s
Mighty Wurlitzer-Theatre Organ Project, Inc. (KMW-TOP, Inc) continues
to provide annual programs to showcase the theatre organ, the era of
the silent film, and the historic Kentucky Theatre. The following is a
brief history of public events offered in several locations in
Lexington, Kentucky:
December
1995, KMW-TOP, Inc. provided an electronic organ and Jim Barton,
theatre organist, Ohio Valley Chapter of the American Theatre Organ
Society, for use in the Library of Congress National Film Tour at the
Kentucky Theater. Two silent films, Sunrise and Within our Gates, were
presented with electronic organ accompaniment. These films represented
the first silent films with organ accompaniment in the Kentucky Theater
since July of 1928.
February
14, 1999, KMW-TOP, Inc presented the Kings of Instruments concert at
the Singletary Center for the Arts in Lexington. The concert featured
renowned theatre organist Tom Hazleton, performing on the Center’s 5/90
Moller classical organ and an Allen MDS-317 digital theatre organ in
the 1500 seat concert hall. This event was recorded and is offered for
sale on the website.
April
27, 2000, KMW-TOP, Inc celebrated the Golden Age of the Kentucky
Theater with a series of events in honor of the 1922 historic theater
in downtown Lexington. Organist Jim Barton provided silent
accompaniments and concerts during the daylong celebration.
Approximately 1,100 middle school students enjoyed two programs
featuring the silent Laurel & Hardy classic Liberty and a short
theatre organ concert. Later that evening, the celebration concluded
with D. W. Griffith’s classic Broken Blossoms with theatre organ
accompaniment, followed with a wonderful concert. A George Wright
"Signature Series" GW319 Allen digital theatre organ was used for the
programs. October
31, 2001, KMW-TOP, Inc celebrated the 79th Anniversary of the historic
Kentucky Theatre with a series of events featuring Jim Barton at the
Rodgers Trio electronic theatre organ. Approximately 1,200 middle
school students enjoyed two morning programs featuring a short theatre
organ concert followed by Buster Keaton in The Haunted House. Later
that evening, theatre patrons were entertained by Jim Barton performing
a concert of popular and show tunes, followed by F.W. Murnau’s silent
classic Nosferatu.
October 4,
2002, the Kentucky Theatre was honored with a month-long 80th
Anniversary Celebration. Jim Barton kicked-off the celebration with a
series of mini-concerts, followed each Friday evening with
mini-concerts by Woody Crouch and Dr. John W. Landon at the Rodgers
trio electronic theatre organ. On October 31st Jim Barton entertained
middle school students with two programs featuring a theatre organ
concert and Charlie Chaplin in The Fireman. Later that evening, theatre
patrons were entertained by Jim Barton in a short concert of popular
and show tunes, followed by Lon Chaney in Phantom of the Opera.
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October
3, 2003, the Kentucky Theatre was honored with a month-long 81st
Anniversary Celebration. Woody Crouch and Tim Jones provided a series
of Friday and Saturday evening mini-concerts on the Rodgers Trio
electronic theatre organ. On October 30th Jim Barton entertained middle
school students with a single program featuring a short theatre organ
concert, demonstrations of actual theatre pipework and equipment,
followed by Buster Keaton in The Haunted House. Later that evening,
theatre patrons were entertained by Jim Barton performing a concert of
popular music, followed by a double-feature of classic silents with
Buster Keaton in The Haunted House, and Lon Chaney and Joan Crawford in
The Unknown.
Since
the October 2003 event, mini-concerts continue each Friday evening by
KMW-TOP, Inc Board Members Woody Crouch, Tim Jones and Dean McCleese at
Kentucky Theatre.
During
October 2004, the Kentucky Theater was honored with a month-long 82nd
Anniversary Celebration with Woody Crouch, Tim Jones and Dean McLeese
providing Friday and Saturday evening mini-concerts on the Rodgers Trio
electronic theatre organ. The main event was conducted on Thursday
evening, October 28th with Jim Barton performing a mini-concert of
popular music, followed by a double-feature of classic silents with
Buster Keaton in The Haunted House, and a new print of F.W. Murnau’s
silent classic Nosferatu.
On
October 4, 2005 the Kentucky Theatre was honored with a special evening
celebration of its 83rd Anniversary with Jim Barton accompanying Harold
Lloyd’s An Eastern Westerner and Buster Keaton’s The General. KMW-TOP,
Inc board members Tim Jones and Dean McCleese provided 30-minute
prelude and postlude, respectively. David Bottom, KMW-TOP, Inc
Vice-president and Tim Jones demonstrated a technical demonstration of
the 1922 Wurlitzer Toy Counter’s traps and effects, and various
Wurlitzer pipework. The evening was a truly an exceptional evening of
family entertainment featuring two fabulous silent pictures, presented
the way they were meant to be, with live theatre organ accompaniment.
In mid-September 2007,
the Rodgers Trio electronic theatre organ was sold to a local theatre
organ enthusiast. Dr. John W. Landon has graciously loaned
Kentucky’s Mighty Wurlitzer a Conn 2-Manual electronic theatre organ
with two Leslie Tone Cabinets for use in the Kentucky Theatre until the
3/18 Mighty Wurlitzer is fully restored and reinstalled in the historic
Kentucky Theatre, its original home! Kentucky’s Mighty Wurlitzer
continues to use this instrument for the 30-minute pre-show concerts
before the Friday evening feature picture and other performance needs
throughout the year as requested by the Kentucky Theatre Group,
Inc. Dr. Landon is generally at the Conn console each Friday
evening, concluding his concerts with a “My Old Kentucky Home”
sing-a-long.
Since 2001, Kentucky’s Mighty Wurlitzer, has entertained and often
thrilled audiences with 30-minute concerts on the Conn Theatre Organ
during the Summer Classics Film Series, which typically runs from
Mid-May until Mid-September. Organists include Dr. John W. Landon
at the console for the matinee pictures; with Dean McCleese, Brian Hunt
and Tim Jones at the console, 30-minutes prior to the evening feature
pictures. The concerts conclude with the audience standing
and singing our state song “My Old Kentucky Home” by Stephen
Foster. For those who know only the chorus or some of the lyrics
to our beautiful State Song, you can pick-up a Drop-A-Note Flyer with
the lyrics printed on the reverse side, is available at the Kentucky
Theatre’s concessions stand.
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