Click here to view an audio slideshow about Key Palace Theatre.
REDKEY, Ind. — As the lights dimmed and acid blues band the Scissormen lead guitarist Ted Drozdowski ripped his first riff on the Key Palace Theatre stage, venue regulars trickled into the vintage auditorium lined with blues legends that had once occupied the stage before them.
The 232-seat venue once staged blues legends Eddie Shaw, Delbert McClinton and John Hammond, among countless others, and Wednesday night played host to a student film crew for Robert Mugge's latest project, tentatively titled "Big Shoes: Walking and Talking the Blues."
For Mugge, Edmund F. and Virginia B. Ball endowed chair and professional filmmaker, the night was capped off with a blur of the blues as he ran from checking video cameras, lighting and soundboards to giving queues to students on his production team in the Key Palace Theatre's main auditorium.
Mugge selected the venue as part of the documentary, which will focus on how blues music has been preserved in the Midwest.
Stan Sollars, instructor of telecommunications, led audio recording of the Scissormen's performances Wednesday and said Indiana plays a larger role in blues culture than most people expect.
"You don't expect [Redkey] to be a blues haven, but it is because of the folks like Charlie [Noble, Key Palace Theatre owner] who kept this place going," Sollars said.
Noble had always been fascinated by old theatres, he said, and visits to Rockefeller Center and Chicago Theatre when he was growing up in the late-‘50s and early-‘60s inspired him to open his own venue later in life.
"You step into those places and it's like stepping back into another world," he said. "The theater is a focal point where people can talk and that's what the theater is all about."
Noble said he was honored Mugge and his crew selected his theater to be highlighted in the documentary.
"It's quite an honor to have someone call you up and say, ‘Hey, we want to film your theatre' and here we are out in the middle of no place," he said. "If you have a good product people they just appreciate our little theater. And that makes me feel good."
Ever since he's been legal, Noble has been out listening to what he loves most: the blues.
"I'd go see Muddy Waters, Magic Sam, Elmore James, Eddie Shaw — all those guys," he said.
Noble, who also books the talent, hosts the shows and personally oversees every aspect of the theater, started renovating the theater, once a former playhouse and movie house, in 1986 — gutting it, building the stage and putting in the seats over the course of four-and-a-half years.
The theater is now considered one of the top 10 blues venues in the country and features a large stage, hand-built stone columns and attached restaurant — decked from top to bottom with album art and signed photos of bands that have performed there in the past.
Despite its jukebox charm and family-oriented business model, lately Noble said the Key Palace has fallen on hard times and a series of bad breaks.
Repair funds, operational costs, theft, advertising and postage increases have all contributed to the tentative future of the theatre, he said.
"Everyone thinks if you're running a business, you're making money, but you're lucky to keep your doors open," he said. "And I'm just a little guy out here doing a theater business. ... It's just a theatre, but I sure don't want to shut it down."
For now, Noble and the theater — run almost solely by a group of volunteers — are just trying to make it through the year.
The performance schedules for March and April will be confirmed soon, but the theatre will most likely be shut down for the summer, he said.
Noble said with donations and other financial support, the Key Palace Theatre will hopefully start back up again in the fall.
Bruce and Staci McKinley, of Muncie, have attended close to 100 shows at Key Palace Theatre since they went there for one of their first dates — a Gene Deer show — more than five years ago.
They try to attend at least two shows a year together, going to Wednesday's show for "some good blues they've never heard of" and to support Noble, Staci said.
"It hasn't progressed because of the economy, so he's begging for support and lending things to keep this place going," she said.
Key Palace Theatre
123 S. Meridian St., Redkey, Ind.
Generally doors open at 7 p.m. and shows start at 8 p.m. Almost all shows have CDs and merchandise available and performers will sign autographs.
Call 1-800-369-0075 or go online to keypalacetheatre.com to order tickets. All seats are general admission.
Upcoming shows:
Jason Ricci and New Blood, 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $20
Stacy Mitchhart, 8 p.m. April 10. Tickets are $20. Live video recording of the concert will be available.
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
