After arranging the donation of a very special piano to the Ludlow Auditorium, FOLA (Friends of Ludlow Auditorium) decided it was time for the piano to enjoy a tuning now that the main heating season is over. The piano, donated to Ludlow by Glenn Brown of Ellison Lake Road, is an upright grand piano, manufactured by Hartmann Company in 1908. According to Richard Johnson, pictured above tuning the piano, it reflects the "old style" pianos manufactured when this country was still manufacturing quality pianos. Johnson, an owner-technician of Frederick Johnson Pianos, Inc. of White River Jct, also noted that the style of the piano fit perfectly with that of the auditorium. FOLA has taken responsibility for maintaining the century-old piano, having it tuned twice a year. The piano will be the focus of a planned 150th anniversary celebration of Vermont's entrance into the Civil War on October 9 when renowned pianist, Jacqueline Schwab, will be featured at a concert of Civil War and Mark Twain era music. Schwab is most recently noted for playing period pieces as background music to a number of Ken Burns' epic productions on PBS, including the Civil War, Mark Twain, and baseball history.
Since FOLA (Friends of Ludlow Auditorium) decided to show recently-released and classic family-oriented films in the Ludlow Auditorium of Town Hall, one problem has beset them: How do you show movies in a large room with massive windows when it is light outside? Thanks to the ingenuity of Chrisandra's, Ludlow well-known interior decoration specialist, along with the efforts of David Almond, FOLA's pointman to resolve the problem and Ludlow Town Manager Frank Heald, the problem was resolved with especially designed window shades for the balcony and main floor windows. The custom designed vinyl shades, in a color to complement the interior walls of the auditorium, were purchased by FOLA for the town and installed recently. Pictured above is, from left to right, Kevin Zaloudek, owner of The Blind Man who did the installation, Frank Heald, and David Almond as they examine one of the specially-designed 19 curtains that will enable FOLA to show movies even when the sun is shining brightly outside. The installation of the curtains was completed just in time since FOLA has scheduled it first full-length movie, The March of the Penguins, for Thursday, April 7 at 7:30 PM in the auditorium.
Pictured above is Frank Heald, Ludlow Town Manager, as he reviews the multitude of equipment being prepared by FOLA (Friends of Ludlow Auditorium) for use in showing first run motion pictures and other graphic devices in the renovated Ludlow Auditorium. The equipment, which will be formally presented to the town, was acquired by FOLA with the help of David Giancola of Edgewood Studios in Rutland. It consists of a professional level projector capable of projecting over 100 feet to the newly-installed large screen in the auditorium along with various devices to display DVD's, VHS, slide, and computer graphic images. FOLA will be adding a new blu ray player to the inventory of equipment to provide high definition movie images. With the help of Edgewood Studios, it has also installed new audio equipment to enhance the sound quality of the motion pictures it plans to exhibit in the near future. FOLA is looking for individuals interested in learning how to operate this equipment, principally to show movies in the auditorium. Anyone interested in participating in this project can get more information at 228-7239.
The recent Community Christmas Celebration at Ludlow's Town Hall auditorium drew a much larger audience then expected by FOLA (Friends of Ludlow Auditorium), the group that sponsored the show. According to FOLA estimates, the audience was well-over 200 people. The audience enjoyed stellar performances by four different student musical groups, a humorous yet touching skit by two Broadway veterans, the lovely music of the Ludlow Community Handbell Choir, a touching solo rendition of 'I'll Be Home For Christmas' by Cara White, a closing sing-along of Christmas songs led by the 6th grade class from Ludlow Elementary School, the wit and charm of George Thomson who acted as program emcee, and, pictured above, the reading of Dylan Thomas' classic poem, 'A Child's Christmas in Wales', by Bruce Farr with Tony Mastaler providing background music on the guitar. Constance Wilcox and Allison Good provided considerable help with both student musical direction and the handbell choir.
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