Page 45 - The Peorian Vol 3 Issue 1 Winter
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Although nothing is final, Setti
is confident the Madison will be
renovated.
There are parties interested
in heading the renovation.
Ray Shepardson, who lives
in Wheaton, has headed the
restoration of more than 30
classic theaters across the United
States in his 45-year career.
The major projects on which
he has worked have gone on to
be among the highest grossing
theaters in the nation, he says.
The Madison, which he thinks
is beautifully designed, is big on
his list of theaters he would like
to restore. Shepardson considers
great theaters to be part of our
culture. He finds theater, music
and art uplifting and thinks the
human spirit needs that.
He also believes a theater is the
most cost-effective way to change
a neighborhood. He thinks they
are the best building for change,
capable of having a massive
impact on businesses around
them.
“They’re kind of temples for
the common folk,” Shepardson
said. “In the old days, whether
you took the streetcar or a
limousine, you could, for the
same 35 cents, be transported
from your miserable life. They’re
just really positive, and it
enhances artistic experiences. The
newer buildings don’t have that
kind of [style].”
Mark Demmim, a Peoria
native who now lives as an
entertainer in Naperville, shares
the same passion for the theater
as Shepardson. The first film
Demmim ever saw in a theater
was “Superman” (1978) at the
Madison.
He has an undying love for
classic movie palaces and runs
the Where it Played in Peoria
Facebook page, which shares
information and pictures
regarding old Peoria theaters.
“I want Peorians to know what
they’ve lost,” Demmim said. “I
want them to reclaim their show
business rights. As I’ve said
also on the [Facebook] page, the
Madison is the last great link to
Peoria’s great entertainment past.
If we lose this one, there’s no
going back.”
