Metro Jacksonville

QuoteAlhambra Dinner Theatre, which was one of the longest-running dinner theaters in the nation, is suspending operations.

The theater opened in 1967 and has hosted a wide variety of stars over the last four decades. For the past 25 years it has been operated by Tod Booth Productions.

http://www.jacksonville.com/entertainment/2009-08-31/story/alhambra_dinner_theatre_closes

I read this online a while ago and thought "Damn, there's another landmark going down."

But really, given the economy and the construction zone they're facing, I'm glad they lasted as long as they did.

Their location was ultimately part of their demise. They are right next to some awful apartments. And the last time I was there (Fall of 07?), the food was pretty mediocre.

I find this one incredibly depressing. The Alhambra was one of the most unique experiences in Jacksonville. I saw some great shows there -- Beauty and the Beast and Grease come immediately to mind -- and their Christmas Carol had become a tradition for us. The food was hit or miss, but it was never terrible either.

The one thing that kept us from going more though was the seating. Unless you go in a group of four or more, you usually would be seated with strangers. I'm not the most social person in the universe, and I always found it rather uncomfortable to take my wife and be seated at a table for four with another couple. Sometimes you'd meet some nice people, but man, if you got seated with obnoxious people, it totally ruined the experience.

Ken, agree on the seating. It was especially bad if the people had been drinking alot.

That's sad. Just got a mailing the other day about the symphony performing "Oklahoma" with the cast of the Alhambra Theatre, just in case anyone feels like catching them one more time..

NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! :'(

It is sad that Alhambra has closed its doors :'( How many people just lost there jobs?  :-[

QuoteAlhambra Dinner Theatre, a Jacksonville institution for more than 40 years, has closed. Tod Booth, owner of the theater and director of most of its shows, said it's still possible that someone else may come in and revive it.

There may be a glimmer of hope here.  An outpouring of community support could be helpful.  Otherwise, another terrible loss for Jax and the performing arts.  I'm sure many patrons, especially kids, whetted their theater appetites on the affordable, but top notch, shows at the Alhambra and migrated between it and other theater in Jax such as the FCCJ/FSCJ Artist Series.

I took my daughter to see Annie recently. It was her first live musical.

Mine too. I liked it.

I can't say I've experienced it, but I have lived within a few miles off Hodges at JTB.

There are several reasons why I didn't go, but top on the list is that it looked like a run down topless bar in Casselberry. No, scratch that, it looked less inviting then Circus Circus or Club Juana (neither of which I'd ever step foot in).

By contrast, the theater in San Marco, or the Florida Theater, are sharp, well maintained, and I wouldn't feel like I just crawled out of a malarial swamp with general Tomoyuki Yamashita.

It really can be about image, and the lack of landscape maintenance, lack of landscape, lack of fresh paint, clean parking or drives, attractive lights and signs. Even though it appears that I have judged it wrong, the message I got from the appearance was "RUN!"

Maybe the owner can salvage or recreate the business downtown, CONNECTED to the heartbeat of the city... Tell me about it and I'll go.  

OCKLAWAHA

I have been to four shows at the Alhambra and always had fun. I would love to see dinner theater remain in Jax.

location, location, location

Sadly, my cohorts made an observation today that may not be far from the truth - the building and location are better suited for an adult entertainment venue...........

I would like to see the Alhambra reopen, but some where closer to the core. I think a venue like that would be better suited under the lights of the city, rather than the side of a major road in line with strip malls.

Begin to reclaim the lost Great White Way.  Re-open Alhambra downtown on Forsyth. :D

QuoteI find this one incredibly depressing.

Me too. With the closing of Bo Concept, I'm beginning to wonder if Jacksonville will get to the point that there is nothing decent to do or places to shop at. I know there's plenty else still around, but these were too big losses for me and my gf. This left me to inquire, why stay in Jacksonville.

QuoteThe one thing that kept us from going more though was the seating. Unless you go in a group of four or more, you usually would be seated with strangers.

I always thought that was kind of fun, but both my gf and I are really social people.

QuoteThere are several reasons why I didn't go, but top on the list is that it looked like a run down topless bar in Casselberry.

Agreed. They definitely could have used a facelift and a better location, but I don't think that's what sunk them. I think it was their patrons. I noticed a lot of people with kids and older couples every time we went. Those are the folks who are hit hard by the recession and needed to cut costs. Plus the demos of their audiences seemed to be middle class (not knocking that), it's just that they are much harder squeezed than the upper middle class when times are bad. Hell, it seems the middle class is always getting screwed, even when times are good.

QuoteDamn, there's another landmark going down.

Landmark? Please....The building was run down, you'd think Booth could have spent a few more bucks on the food, which was not very good. I've had better meals at Golden Corral, which is not saying much.

Location bad? Its not as if it was next to Plush or the Gold Club in Arlington. A good dinner theatre is close to its market, and that does not appear to be the best location. Either move to the beach area or move to Mandarin, but you have to be close to your patrons, and to drive out there was a bit far from downtown.

Now if Ock could build a commuter rail system, I would have attended more often. :-)

Quote from: mtraininjax on September 01, 2009, 12:37:35 PM
...move to the beach area or move to Mandarin, but you have to be close to your patrons, and to drive out there was a bit far from downtown.

Look, good location can be subjective.  At the Beach, Downtown, Mandarin....  Hey, ever notice where it is now is in the middle of all these places.

This is a destination attraction, not a drive by.  It's only a few blocks east of 9A and Beach.  How much easier could it be to access.  It's actually easier with 9A today than it was 40 years ago when it was built literally in the middle of a pine forest.  And, hardly anyone lived at the Beaches or Mandarin then.  So, the location today is a big improvement.

Also, this is a special purpose building that seats 400.  If it's already tough to make the concept work, spending millions on a new building and land aren't going to help things.

I think a fresh facilities makeover, some new marketing and food concepts, and continued great Todd Booth produced shows could do the trick.  Let's hope the Alhambra rises from the ashes.  Jax needs places like this to enrich our community.

Quote from: Deuce on September 01, 2009, 09:50:00 AM

QuoteThe one thing that kept us from going more though was the seating. Unless you go in a group of four or more, you usually would be seated with strangers.

I always thought that was kind of fun, but both my gf and I are really social people.

I have a feeling that Ken and Deuce sat at a table together... ;)

Okay, first we can hope that Chris Brown (? who is he? mentioned in the TU article though as a possible buyer) can salvage us a dinner theatre.

Second, where is Steven in this discussion?

Third, I don't care too much about the location (though there was nothing else to draw anyone there) but the building itself was total crap.  The sound and lighting were both inadequate and awful and the tables cramped and rickety.  It felt like a ghost of what ought-to-be.

Fourth the food was awful.  There was no reason to spend money on food there -- AND THAT'S WHERE A DINNER THEATRE HAS TO MAKE MONEY.  Skimp on the damn acting before you skimp on the food.  Seriously.

Fifth the acting was cheesy.  Musicals are by nature cheesy but because of the incestuous "feel" of the casting practices, the actors were far more pally-pally buddy-buddy in their acting than ever was called for.  This is not to say that the work can't be done by a company of actors BUT that the company better act, not play.

If you can fix these problems (and you can), you can have great dinner theatre.  Booth wasn't willing to. 

Hopefully someone is.

Quote from: Lucasjj on September 01, 2009, 07:50:58 AM
I would like to see the Alhambra reopen, but some where closer to the core. I think a venue like that would be better suited under the lights of the city, rather than the side of a major road in line with strip malls.

I agree. A different venue (downtown, Riverside, San Marco or Springfield) and some new attention paid to food cost may just work. That Beach Blvd. location looks quite dated and the road construction hasn't helped.

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/Grand_union_diagram.svg/180px-Grand_union_diagram.svg.png)
This is a diagram of the "Grand Union of JTCO Streetcars" at Forsyth and Main, the Great White Way.

Quote from: Doctor_K on September 01, 2009, 08:55:11 AM
Begin to reclaim the lost Great White Way.  Re-open Alhambra downtown on Forsyth. :D

Ya know Doctor K, THAT might be a geat idea! Forsyth, was the city's "White Way," back when Oliver (Babe) Hardy was sent flying down the street in a giant baby buggy. The streetlights, and the double tracked Jacksonville Traction Companys, Forsyth Street loops, made the corner of Main Street, the largest streetcar junction in the city. It was crawling with people.

The way I see it, if we rebuild Laura Street to make it pedestrian friendly, I wonder if Forsyth could be a cross street, likewise rebuilt? Lakelander? Any buildings down there that a dinner theater would work in? Stephendare? Anybody home?

OCKLAWAHA

Ock,

I walk down Laura and Forsyth daily. What isn't pedestrian friendly? It is a tremendous combination of nice looking women who work downtown and derilicts who pee and poop downtown. Who could ask for more?  ::)

Ok, I need to get back to football games.  8)

I actually thought the old place had a certain charm to it. The exterior was pretty dingy, and it was somewhat off-putting to pay $100 for a pair of tickets, get all dressed up, and then have to park in a dirt field and trudge through the gravel. The inside was pretty cool though. Felt like a place with a bit of history.

Here are some pictures I found on my computer from when Beauty and the Beast was playing:

(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/KenFSU/BB1-1.jpg)

(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/KenFSU/BB6-1.jpg)

(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/KenFSU/BB7-1.jpg)

(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/KenFSU/BB9-1.jpg)

(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/KenFSU/BB8-1.jpg)

(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/KenFSU/BB4-1.jpg)

(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/KenFSU/BB2-1.jpg)

Stephen,

You can blame TB for the problems -- wanting to move or not, letting the facilities rot was a poor decision (to put it mildly).  The importance of an equity house is nontrivial but the money had to come from somewhere and the shoddy appearance of, well, everything didn't help ticket sales which, stupidly, were the main source of income (which as I said, should have been the food -- AND BOOZE).

What's going on with the building?  Is anyone going to buy/renovate?  Do we know anything about the fellow mentioned in the TU who is interested in revitalizing?

The road to hell is proverbially paved with Alhambras.  "Good" doesn't mean much in the face of incorrect.  Life isn't school.

What I meant was screwups in life aren't "good decisions" that go wrong.  Your heart can be in the right place without your brain being there.

Anyway, they should have seen the writing on the wall, as it was in about 400-point print with flashing neon backgrounds.

What theatre options exist now?

QuoteJax needs places like this to enrich our community.

Theatre Jacksonville in San Marco does and continues to do well. No meals served, but a fine show. The arts at the TU Center and FL Theatre still continue without meals served. This model works.

But if an outfit wants to serve "DINNER AND a SHOW", I would want to make sure that the Dinner part is worthy of a dinner and not a trough, which is what the buffet turned into at the ADT.

I liked the shows, and the excitement, but the food was horrible after I had a season of tickets, and we stopped going.

Oh no, I pass by there all the time and always wanted to give it a try.  I agree - in this economy - I don't have the money for too much extra entertainment. 

Gee...........where is the JEDC when you need them! I guess the "Alhambra Dinner Theatre" does not qualify? Maybe Mr Booth is just not connected to the right people? I guess there goes another chunk  of taxable business down the tubes..........maybe they can go else where and I hope that they do!

Good question.  How about the city working with them to move them into a downtown facility?  Both would benefit from such a move.  Would the Snyder work?

ADT in a downtown facility would be great...and maintaining the dinner and show would be a great benefit to the core.  I agree though...the whole buffet thing is just yuck...I'd much rather be served a nice 3 course meal.

Anyways...love to see it moved downtown.

Don't think the Snyder is big enough for a dinner theater.  Perhaps a small non-dinner theater, but I don't know if the "stage" area would be big enough.  Maybe a small concert venue, or doing plays with limited stage sets.  But, yes, bringing the Alhambra to an appropriate venue downtown would be good.  Make it closer for folks on the westside to attend.

Optimism remains high on Alhamabra future
Prospective new owner hopes to make an announcement soon

QuoteThere's still no word on the fate of the Alhambra Dinner Theatre, but the businessman who's trying to buy and reopen it said he hopes to announce its reopening in the next week or two.

Craig Smith said that he's been swamped with support since the story of the theater's closing and his possible purchase appeared in the Times-Union this month. In the story, Smith said he was hoping that 2,500 people would call the theater and express their interest in it reopening.

About 100 people an hour called that first day, he said, and 50 an hour for several days after that. In addition, about 3,500 people have signed onto the Save the Alhambra page on Facebook.

Smith said he's meeting with bankers again next week, and he expects good news.

"Our lawyers assure us we're a week away from making the announcement," he said.

Smith has said that if he's able to purchase it, he'll hire Tod Booth, the theater's owner and director of most of its productions for more than 20 years, to run it.

The theater, which closed Aug. 30 after operating for 42 years, was scheduled to put on "The Odd Couple" followed by "My Fair Lady." If the sale goes through, Smith said he plans to give the restrooms and buffet area a facelift before reopening in November for a shortened run of "The Odd Couple," "just to work the kinks out," he said. Then "A Christmas Carole" would begin on Dec. 1 as originally scheduled.

Those who had purchased tickets for "My Fair Lady" or "The Odd Couple" would be able to redeem them for shows next year, he said. And he said he'd honor all season tickets that have been purchased for next year.

Booth said last week that no decision has been made about possible refunds for season tickets if the sale does not go through.

http://www.jacksonville.com/news/metro/2009-09-15/story/optimism_remains_high_on_alhamabra_future

Cautious Good news!

I concur Mr Charles............as you say "cautious" but it is encouraging!

Coke never sold better than after they "changed the recipe". Once the furor was raised by the public (contrived?) the old brand saw huge rises in sales.

Michael Jackson titles also sold like crazy upon the news of his death.

This could be the catalyst that propels The Alhambra into prosperity.

Moving to a picturesque location couldn't hurt IMO.

They just mentioned it on the local news. Craig Smith plans to remodel the building, offer a revamped menu by Matthew Medure, and reopen after Thanksgiving.

I'm sure someone will be able to confirm soon this soon, more or less what blizz's article from this morning says.

It will be interesting to see what happens. New focus or dinosaur dying out.

More promising news from The Daily Record:

Jax native working on plan to re-open Alhambra

QuoteFor Alhambra Dinner Theatre fans and the city, the shows must go on.
That’s the goal of local businessman Craig Smith, who is working on a deal to acquire the iconic cultural institution from longtime owner Tod Booth. Smith said he hopes to have the deal finalized within the next couple weeks.
While owning the business would be a new venture for Smith, he is no stranger to the venue, having grown up attending numerous performances every year since he was a child.
“I grew up on the Westside,” he said, smiling. “I’ve been going since I was 12 ... when I was younger, making the trip always felt like the ‘big city.’ I loved it.”
Smith passed the experience on to his young daughter, Macy, when he took her to her first show when she was three years old and wanted to see “The Wizard of Oz” in 2002. It was an evening neither will forget.
“Tod (Booth) took her backstage to meet Dorothy and Toto,” said Smith, “and her eyes just lit up and she was all ‘oohs and ahs’. She just went crazy.”
He’s taken her to numerous shows since then until it closed in late August and the thought of its absence prompted him to take action once the Booths took him up on his longtime offer for assistance.
“I could not imagine it not being here for her the way it was for me,” he said. “The arts have such a place to expand our cultural horizons ... and going to a place like the Alhambra does that.”
Smith sold his former business, Beaches Limousine and Transportation, in 2006 and has the ability and time to undertake such a venture, he said.
Upon the deal’s completion, though, some things will change.
For years, Smith said he’s noticed certain aspects of the theater have seemed off track, which he believes led to people not returning for the experience he felt is one of the best in the city.
“When you go to a show like this, you want to walk away feeling special,” he explained. “I don’t think enough people felt that way as much ... when I ask people if they go to the Alhambra, I’ve heard people say ‘I used to go, but...’ I want to get rid of those ‘buts.’”
The venue will receive what he calls a cosmetic makeover, with everything from new carpets and utensils to linens, lights and even an exterior paint job.
“No more Pepto Bismol outside,” he said with a laugh.
The physical amenities aren’t the only things getting revamped, as the food is getting a new flavor with the addition of Smith’s longtime friend and Jacksonville chef Matthew Medure.
“I’m really excited about the project,” said Medure. “It’ll be a casual type of cuisine that’s fresh and well presented.”
Medure said the buffet-style cuisine Alhambra patrons associate with dinner theater won’t really change, as much will be based on his buffet-style take-out and sit-down restaurant, Take Away Gourmet, in San Marco.
Since it closed in late August and he began to look into acquiring it, the public support for the Alhambra reopening has poured in. Smith said thousands upon thousands of combined e-mails, phone calls and Facebook comments and acquaintances have reached out in support, which Smith hopes continues.
After the deal goes through and the facelift is complete, Smith said if the public sentiment and reaction translates to actual attendance, he wants to do some extensive long-term remodeling and expansion.
It’s not so much about a profit margin in the venture as it is just seeing it succeed and continue tradition.
“As long as it can pay for itself, it’s a home run,” he said.
Besides finalizing the transaction, Smith has his sights set on Nov. 7. That’s the date he refers to as a “homecoming event” for the venue called “Save the Alhambra,” which will include an outside show, food and other entertainment while acting as a kickoff event.
While he’s been in numerous business deals and ventures over the course of his career, the Alhambra deal is the one he admits to being most excited about â€" for himself, his daughter and the rest of Jacksonville who has experienced the shows or will in the near future.
“By far the most fun thing I’ve done,” he said.
For more information on Alhambra Dinner Theatre, go to www.alhambradinnertheatre.com.

dchapman@baileypub.com

Improve the food.

Glad to see this is happening but wish they would relocate to the urban core...hmmm...9th and Main???

Oh yeah, because the owners of 9th and Main are itching to get rid of it or lease it at a reasonable rate.

Good news!

QuoteAlhambra Dinner Theatre set to reopen Dec. 1

First show will be “A Christmas Carole,” an annual production at the theatre for more than 20 years
•   BY ROGER BULL
•   STORY UPDATED AT 4:32 PM ON TUESDAY, OCT. 27, 2009

The stage lights at the Alhambra Dinner Theatre are apparently coming back on.

Craig Smith, the Jacksonville businessman who has been trying to buy the Alhambra since it closed two months ago, said he and his partners have finally finalized all the paperwork. The theater will reopen on Dec. 1 with “A Christmas Carole,” the production it’s done each December for more than 20 years.

The Alhambra opened in 1967 and was one of the nation’s oldest dinner theaters when it closed in August. Tod Booth, who had owned the theater since 1985, said the economic downturn took too big a toll on his attendance and finances to continue.

Smith, former co-owner of Beaches Limousine and Transportation until he sold it in 2006, is the managing member of a group of investors called Theatre Partners, which now owns the theater.

Booth will continue to produce the plays and musicals, but Smith will be in charge of the rest of business. A few renovations, including painting the outside of the building, have already begun.

Restaurateur Matthew Medure will be in charge of the food.

The theater will hold a welcome back celebration at 2:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m. Nov. 7 outside the theater.

More details will appear in Wednesday’s Times-Union.

http://jacksonville.com/business/2009-10-27/story/alhambra_dinner_theatre_set_to_reopen_dec_1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1fWmc1y4qc