Restoration of Tennessee Veterans' Theater
Johnson CityY, Tenn.

A university theater director has taken on the mission of restoring a turn-of-the-century theater once frequented by elderly Civil War veterans.

Bob Funk, the director of theater for the East Tennessee State University (ETSU), and a group of like-minded people hope to restore the 1906 VA Memorial Theatre which is modeled after the Lincoln Theatre in Washington, D.C.

"It's an absolutely gorgeous building," Funk says, noting that it has fallen into disrepair because of lack of federal funds to maintain it properly.

East Tennessee State has a medical school located directly across from the Mountain Home, a Veterans Affairs campus and medical facility where the theater is located. The college and VA have a long-standing association. Some of the school classes are conducted in rooms at the VA, Funk says.

When Funk joined the faculty, the administration thought it might be an opportunity to make an arrangement with the VA to use the Veterans' Memorial Theatre. A three-year lease was arranged, soon to be a 35-year lease, giving the school the right to operate and use the theater in exchange for restoring and maintaining it, as well as taking care of the day-to-day operations.

Funk says that the 600-seat theater was part of the complex constructed to fulfill a promise to Eastern Tennessee soldiers for remaining loyal to the Union during the Civil War. Veterans' facilities were promised during the Lincoln administration, but after his assassination and Andrew Johnson's rise to power, the Mountain Home proposal was sidelined.

As the Civil War veterans grew older, they needed a place to stay and receive medical attention, so a hospital was built, then barracks, a chapel was raised and Andrew Carnegie built a library for the campus which has its own Zip Code within Johnson City. And, finally, the theater was constructed.

During its heyday, traveling vaudeville and minstrel shows, as well as some opera and local theater productions, were performed for the old soldiers Funk says. In 1912 George M. Cohan's "15 Minutes From Broadway" opened the Memorial Hall season and Bud Fisher's original "Mutt and Jeff" played in a show with "50 people, 1 carload of scenery."

The local Johnson City newspaper would review the performances, often quoting the old veterans, using names like "Old Shorty" and "Big Bill," Funk says.

"These old Civil War veterans must have been quite the characters, probably known by everyone in town."

As years passed, the theater was used less and less. Live performances gave way to occasional movies and then the theater was all but closed when videos were widely available. Videos could be shown right at the hospital. "It slowly went down hill," Funk says. "When it came down to buying a new kidney machine or fixing the stage, all the money went into the hospital."

Funk says he "fell in love" with the theater the first time he set foot into the building and he continues to marvel at its architecture and details.

The Beaux Arts building is built of masonry and brick with a three-story faÐade and entry. From the lobby a C-shaped grand staircase at either side rises to the foyer. The balcony has scalloped loges and brass railings on top of ornamental plaster balcony railings. Ornamental plaster work frames the stage opening and creates the medallion centered above the opening.

The building's outstanding feature is three enormous arched windows that open onto a massive stone balcony with carved stone balustrade railing at the second floor foyer level. Below them are three deeply recessed wood and glass doors.

Temperature changes have made some of the plaster fall, the electrical system is not up to code and is inadequate for modern stage productions. The building uses an old steam heating system which needs to be upgraded. The bathrooms are not accessible to people with disabilities and also need to be upgraded.

The main structure of the building, however, is in very good condition and the building can be, and has been, used as is, Funk adds. The seating is in excellent condition and most of the carpet is salvageable. The stage fly system is also in good condition needing only minor repairs and adjustments.

To raise funds for the improvements, which could cost upwards to $1 million, Funk says ETSU is offering to install memorial plaques on the backs of the seats for a donation to the restoration effort.

For $500, donors can remember a veteran, or a loved one, with a plaque. The names of those so honored will also be inscribed on a larger plaque placed in the lobby which will also offer seat and row numbers for those interested in finding the particular seats.

"It think this is a great way to honor someone and save a national treasure at the same time," Funk says.

Corporations interested in donating to the restoration effort may sponsor theater boxes for $5,000. Two season passes, good for two performances in one season, will be given to all contributors.

Money from the rental of the theater to a variety of organizations also goes back into the restoration and maintenance of the structure Funk says. Veterans at Mountain Home are allowed to use the theater for Memorial Day and Veterans Day events under the terms of the lease.

Funk estimates that the restoration project will take 10 to 15 years to complete. A new black curtain was recently installed and some limited electrical work was also done to support stage lighting and the "traveling board" used to control the light and sound systems.

So far, Shakespeare plays and Godspell have been performed.

A group called Friends of the Theatre sponsored a performance of "An Evening With Hal Holbrook," and raised money through an inaugural performance, Funk says. This year, college students and theater friends hope to host a performance of "A Christmas Carol," and invite Pat Cronin, a well-known television character actor with a connection to ETSU, to perform Willy Loman's role in Death of a Salesman next year

Funk, a reenactor with the 1st Alabama Cavalry, Co. B, the 4th Alabama Infantry, performs a one-man play portraying Sam Watkins, a member of the 1st Tennessee, Co. H. Funk hopes to someday perform his adaptation of Watkins' 1882 Company Aytch in the theater. The play relates personal stories of life as a Confederate soldier.

"We need to save this theater because it was built because of the veterans' loyalty to the Union," Funk says. For information write Box 70626, Johnson City, TN 37614, call (423) 439-5827 or e-mail funk@etsu.edu