Former Arlingtonian (and now looking for
a house here again) Gary Adelson bought the Regent Theater on Medford
Street about a month ago for $1.9 million and he is looking to
spend " a lot of money " in refurbishing and rehabilitating the
spirit and the body of the venue that opened in 1916.
But he faces negotiating with the Bombay Cinema operators to see whether
to preserve the Indian movies that attract Indian immigrants from throughout
the area from Thursday to Sunday nights, plus finding a way to accommodate
groups such as Arlington Catholic, which uses the theater for dramatic
productions.
" I want to do everything I can to work out a compromise with them, but if the
only time Bombay Cinema can do theater is Saturday night and the only time we
can do a performing artist is Saturday night, well, you probably know the answer
to that question, " said Adelson.
Although the Indian community and Arlington natives might find this untrue,
many people don’t know about the Regent. Adelson’s business partner,
Todd Winmill, was amazed when he saw the theater for the first time.
" But when I tell people that I’m involved in a theater in Arlington, they say ‘oh
really, the Capitol’ and I have to tell them there’s another one, " Winmill said.
Winmill and Adelson have plenty of work ahead of them. Along with the
possibility of restoring the pressed tin ceiling now obscured by institutional
fiberglass tile and preserving the gold-leafed proscenium that buttresses
the stage, they will have to install elevators and modernize much of
the infrastructure.
" This is what we’re up against, " said Adelson, as Winmill attempted to coax
a neon sign into working inside the theater lobby.
" It’s an exciting space. The opportunity is just endless, " Winmill said.
They may remove the temporary stage and expand the seating capacity;
they may add couches in the open corners of the theater; and they may
open the theater for corporate events during the day.
But one thing appears to be certain; the Regent is waking up.
Music men
Adelson is a real estate developer though he looks more like a musician,
which is also true.
Adelson plays drums for Arlington’s somewhat home-grown Jump City Band,
which until the end of September was cranking out their mix of blues
and swing at the Broadway Plaza every Sunday afternoon.
Adeslon said his brain began clicking when he went to a swing dance night
at a Central Square church about three years ago. At that time, he said,
swing had reached its popular peak, " already reaching the blue jean,
khaki and T-shirt wearing youth of America in Gap commercials. "
" There was such a good energy there and I thought, ‘if you can pack 250 people
into a church on a Tuesday night, why couldn’t you put the concept someplace
else? " he said.
He sat on the idea awhile, until he learned that there was space available
in the basement of the building that houses the Regent, which includes
the Bombay Restaurant, The Book Rack (a used book store) and several
upstairs apartments.
He spoke to theater manager Rick Stavros, who he said asked, him, " Would
you have any interest in doing it in the theater? There might be a possibility
that the theater’s for sale. "
Adelson would not disclose how much he expects to spend on the renovations,
but he said that in the end, " I don’t see a theater. I see a performing
arts venue. "
That theory got a hard and fast test last Wednesday, when a frenzied
three weeks of work culminated in the United Hearts of America Concert,
a five-band event hosted by local celebrity and comedian Jimmy Tingle
that Winmill estimates raised between $5,000 and $6,000 for the September
11 Fund created to help humanitarian efforts after the attack.
Adelson said if they can negotiate a deal with the recording artist’s
record companies (performers included the Grammy-nominated Toni Lynn
Washington Band) they will release a live album to further benefit the
fund.
Winmill, who works as a sound engineer, said the pair also hope to install
a full sound system in the building and create a full-fledged recording
studio in the basement that could dub live performances upstairs. He
also hopes that the addition of a full set of gear will appeal to performers
who might find Arlington a little too suburban.
But Adelson thinks the town is ripe for a venue like this.
" Arlington has become a destination, but I hear a lot of people talk that if
you come here and go out to dinner, there’s nothing to do other than go for a
cup of coffee. There’s a brand new apartment complex across the street (the Legacy
apartment complex)… that has nothing to do, " said Adelson.
By DANA FRONCZAK/STAFF WRITER
|
