Inaugural Gala Celebrates 102nd Birthday of Strand Theatre; Benefits Nonprofit Children's Theatre

Pontiac, MI – On Saturday, March 4, from 4:00 – 9:00 pm, the historic Flagstar Strand Theatre on Saginaw Street will celebrate its 102nd birthday. The themed 1920s Gala will have a strolling dinner, silent and live auction, honor the Strand Century winners, and a full theatrical presentation of Annie, Jr. by its own children's theatre. Tickets are $175 per single or $325 per couple. Sponsorships are available. For more information, go to https://www.flagstarstrand.com/gala or call 248-309-6445.

Oakland University President and Theatre Trustee Dr. Ora Pescovitz will receive the individual award for her commitment to the arts at the university, in Pontiac, and beyond. In addition, Mr. Gill Garrett, Oakland County Sheriff Deputy, is being honored for his outstanding volunteerism.

The 1920s heralded the construction of many structures, including the Strand on Saginaw Street in Pontiac, a remarkable three-story Renaissance-style building that started as a vaudeville theatre. In the United States, vaudeville connotes a light entertainment popular from the mid-1890s until the early 1930s that consisted of 10 to 15 individual unrelated acts.

The word vaudeville is derived from an old French term for a satirical song, vaudevire, which refers to the Vire valley of France, where the songs originated. In the United States, vaudeville acts performed variety shows, using music, comedy, dance, acrobatics, magic, puppets, and even trained animals.

Vaudeville shows educated audiences what behavior was acceptable for the middle class and acting as a vehicle for social progress. At the same time as vaudeville was redefining the American middle class, it opened new opportunities for a select few to climb up the social ladder.

In the early days, the Pontiac area had 13 theatres, and now only the Strand remains. In late 2016, it reopened after receiving a three-year, twenty-million-dollar renovation as the Flagstar Strand Theatre. The theatre campus includes a fantastic stage and auditorium with seating for nearly 900, an art gallery, a theatre lounge named Charlene's, a restaurant, and a pending film society.

The arts connect everyone at the Flagstar Strand Theatre. The building is also available as a rental.

--Courtesy of Flagstar Strand Theatre