Today, the Revue Film Society distributed the following press release concerning the future of the Revue Theatre. Unfortunately, the Revue will not be run and operated by the community for the community—at least in the short term. Over the past few days there have been numerous rumours floating around as to who had the winning bid and what their intentions may be. This information has yet to be released, although Mark Ellwood’s comments below are promising. Stay tuned to NorthRonces.com for any further news.

Oh yeah, and as mentioned below, head on over to Hugh’s Room on September 12th to celebrate the people of Roncesvalles’s amazing passion for their community.

NEIGHBOURHOOD BID FOR REVUE CINEMA DECLINED

September 6, 2006 (Toronto) – The Revue Film Society announced today that the Revue owners and their real estate broker, XL Retail Commercial Services, have chosen not to accept the Society’s offer to lease and operate the Revue as a not-for-profit movie theatre at this time. Details have not been disclosed; however, XL Retail told representatives of The Revue Film Society that a conditional offer from a private bidder to purchase the 1911 theatre has been given priority.

“We are a bit disappointed we won’t be taking the reins ourselves and run the Revue as a non-profit cinema. We hope the new owner carries on the legacy of the Revue and its potential to be recognized as a unique theatre,” said Kim Beemer, head of fundraising for the Revue Film Society. “We can certainly take pride in our community rising up together for a common cause.”

The Revue Film Society’s dedication in its quest to make the landmark theatre a community operation was received with enormous enthusiasm. Thousands of e-mails were received pledging support and encouragement. Most of the $30,000 was raised from website donations and the perseverance of a group of volunteers knocking on doors of homes and businesses in the area.

“The good news is that it looks like the Revue might return soon as a cinema,” said Mark Ellwood, chair of the RFS. “Without our efforts, another operator might not have emerged”.

The Revue Film Society has stated that all donations over $100 will be returned and a free concert is being held to honour the community effort at 8:00pm on September 12 at Hugh’s Room, 2261 DUNDAS ST. WEST, TORONTO. For details regarding the performances and to reserve tickets please visit www.hughsroom.com

As its owners field “Request for Proposals from parties interested in leasing or purchasing this landmark” information concerning the fate of the Revue Theatre is rather hard to come by. The Revue Film Society, however, is still creating a buzz and raising money while it awaits word on its own community driven proposal to Save the Revue.

The Society’s latest initiative is a “Save the Revue” benefit concert to be held September 12th at Hugh’s Room, 2261 Dundas Street West. The concert will be hosted by Michael Wrycraft and include guests Bev Taft, Roger Clown, Katherine Wheatley, Andrew Cash, Big Rude Jake, Chris Coole, Julian Fauth, Mark Roy, Dottie Cormier, Selina Martin, William Meadows, M.T. Lawlor and the Shameless Dames. Tickets are $25.00 and available from Hugh’s Room, the Film Buff (73 Roncesvalles) and Another Story Bookstore (315 Roncesvalles). The festivities begin at 8:00pm.

With the closing of the Revue Cinema by the McQuillan side of the Festival Cinema chain and the attainment of heritage status for the theatre building itself, the Roncesvalles community have now moved on to the next of step: reopening the theatre as a high-quality neighbourhood repertory cinema.

To this end, the Save the Revue Committee is in the process of establishing a non-profit corporation that will lease the theatre from the current owners and operate it as a rep cinema. As a recent Bloor West Villager story described it:

The Save the Revue Committee would like to run the theatre like the ROM or the AGO, by creating an entity to lease the building, raise revenue through membership dues and ticket sales, create a board of governors represented by volunteers and hire a staff to operate it. The group has been meeting weekly to make their dream happen.

Northronces.com has already provided a link to the on-line survey in the upper right corner of the blog; please visit the Save the Revue web site and lmake the Committe aware of your vision for the new Revue.

Towards the goal of awareness and fundraising, The Save the Revue Committee successfully turned the Revue’s official—and hopefully temporary—closing day into quite a media event where volunteers in Charlie Chaplin costumes sold “Save the Revue” pins and t-shirts to help raise money for the cause. The public turn out to the memorial showings of The Wizard of Oz and Lawrence of Arabia was impressive with the first show selling out, while, unfortunately, a large number of people were unable to get in to see the second.

According to The Villager, the Committee’s latest endeavour has been the marshalling of high profile support from the likes of Toronto based international celebrities:

Barenaked Ladies’ drummer Tyler Stewart, a Roncesvalles area resident, actor Don McKellar, who is currently appearing on Broadway in The Drowsy Chaperone, director Norman Jewison and filmmaker Bruce McDonald…

From the perspective of NorthRonces.com if the community can combine this grassroot and celebrity support with a bit of corporate largesse from, say, the likes of the Toronto Dominion Financial Group, condo developer Harry Stinson, Rogers Video, or the Scotiabank, then we may have “the beginning of a beautiful friendship,” not to mention a successful movie theatre run by—and for—the community.

The latest “Save the Revue” t-shirts can be purschased at The Film Buff at 73 Roncesvalles Ave.

As reported in the Toronto Star, and despite the protests of its owners, the Revue Theatre has been granted heritage status by the City of Toronto Preservation Board. Although heritage status will not guarantee the building’s use as a movie theatre, it will protect the unique architectural features—such as the marquee—that make it a landmark on North Roncesvalles. From the community’s perspective, historical designation is a small but symbolically significant step in the ongoing fight to maintain the Revue as an operating repertory cinema.

The Save the Revue working group is presently collecting information about how the community envisions the Revue going forward. What are we saving the Revue for? Please fill out the survey at the Save the Revue web site and let your desires and opinions be known.

Despite the good will generated by the McQuillans’ commitment to keeping the Revue as a cinema, it must be made clear that they continue to be against the designation of the theatre as historically significant because of the implications that designation may have on the building’s future property value. Indeed, it appears that the owners will actively oppose designation on June 22nd when the Toronto Preservation Board presents its case to City Council and the general public is also allowed to make deputations on the matter.

And this should not be surprising, given that designation is not really in their interests as landlords of the building. As landlords who may one day wish to sell, they would naturally be against anything that decreases the possible market value of the building because it limits the flexibility of any future development. NorthRonces.com’s, however, is more concerned with the public interest and asks the following question: “Does historical designation benefit the community’s desire to maintain the Revue theatre as a neighbourhood cinema?” (next page…)

This will be NorthRonces.com’s initial post on the first community meeting to Save the Revue which was held on June 8th. Part two will discuss the the heated issue of historical designation and part three will address a few options that could keep the Revue operating as a cinema.

Thursday night the 2nd floor teacher’s lounge at Howard Public School was packed with local area residents committed to putting their ideas, their time, and, in some cases, even their money, toward keeping the Revue Cinema operating as a neighbourhood repertory cinema—what appeared to be a unanimous goal.

The meeting, organized by Susan Flanagan and moderated by Mark Ellwood, was packed and late comers had to find room on the floor. Councillor Sylvia Watson, a representative of Peggy Nash, and future NDP candidate for the riding, Reverend Sheri Dinovo, attended along with media outlets The Globe & Mail, CityTV, The Village Gleaner and The National Post. Obviously, interest around this issue is quite high.

Perhaps most surprisingly, all three of the current owners—Chris, Kate and Mark McQuillan—were on hand and did a commendable job expressing their respect for the neighbourhood cinema idea and their desire to work with the Roncesvalles community in finding either a tenant or an owner for the building who will continue to operate it as a rep cinema. (next page…)