Assistant professor and filmmaker David Liban and student filmmakers of Theatre, Film and Video Production Department spent the summer documenting the renovations taking place at the old Elitch Theatre, located on the original Elitch Gardens property since 1891. The idea of the film was spawned as part of a course (FILM 4150: Topics; Elitch Theatre Renovation) offered this summer to document the historic nature of the renovation, the colorful history of the theater and its place in the Denver community and the country.

Touted as the oldest summer stock theater in America, Elitch Gardens Theatre hosted vaudeville shows and made local history with the showing of Denver’s first moving picture. Famous actors worked in the theater throughout the years, and for some it was their first acting job. It was customary for the actors to sign their names to the walls after their performances and some of the signatures exist today – Grace Kelly, Douglas Fairbanks Sr. and Jr., Robert Redford, Shelley Winters, Edward G. Robinson, Vincent Price, William Shatner, Debbie Reynolds, Patty Duke, Cloris Leachman . . . just to name a few.

As renovation began this summer, the reconstruction effort revealed a baffling secret—the building was built without a foundation. Structural engineers have noted that it’s built more like a shack than a bona-fide structure: they can’t believe it’s still standing. 

What is keeping it up? “We don't know, but some suspect the ghost of Mary Elitch is hanging around in order to keep it alive,” Liban says. There have been many alleged sightings of Mary Elitch, and many oddities associated with the theater. Part of the film incorporates a team of paranormal researchers who where brought in by Liban and the Elitch Foundation to determine if there is a ghost. The findings of the researchers are surprising, to say the least.  

The documentary filming will span two years. In addition to interviews with the main players responsible for the renovation, the mayor and people who hold the site dear to their hearts, the documentary will tell a tale of one of America's most important theaters.

Former film student, Anna Hadzi, is co-producer of the project along with Liban, who is the writer, co-producer and director of the film. A trailer of the film will be cut sometime next month and will be shown on campus.

Once the documentary is completed, it will be shown on the Auraria campus as well as at the new Elitch Theatre. Through the partnership between the Center for American Theatre at Historic Elitch Gardens, Kevin Causey, co-founder, and the UCDHSC College of Arts & Media, student theater productions of the Department of Theatre, Film and Video Production will be produced in the newly renovated theatre when it opens in 2008.

For more information about the project, contact David Liban at David.Liban@cudenver.edu or http://www.elitchtheatrefdn.org/.

David Liban contributed to this report.