History Clinton Area Showboat Theatre

1 history

1.1 original construction
1.2 renovation
1.3 purchase city of clinton
1.4 city of clinton
1.5 lillian russell theater
1.6 clinton area showboat theater
1.7 1990 s additions
1.8 2000 s remodeling

history
original construction

the original boat built in 1936 dravo corporation near pittsburgh , named “omar.” created working boat, coal-fired towboat ohio river company. steel, boat 207 feet long, 36 feet wide, , 37½ feet high. in water, displaces 581 gross tons.

the oaken paddlewheel, rebuilt in 1980, approximately 32 feet in diameter. powered 2 marietta compound stem wheel engines required 25 75 tons of coal day. these engines produced 1,000 horsepower.

for 25 years, “omar” pushed barges , down ohio river. in 1962, ohio river company donated boat state of west virginia use in centennial celebration.

renovation

the state of west virginia converted towboat showboat. builder preserved main deck, lounge , second deck captain’s quarters . original galley area , crew’s quarters became theater. raising pilothouse, builders created new third deck, providing theatre balcony , museum exhibition space. pilothouse retained captain’s control wheel , high view of river. new showboat renamed “rhododendron,” west virginia state flower.

purchase city of clinton

on september 15, 1966, city of clinton, iowa, purchased “rhododendron” state of west virginia @ public bid price of $21,165. week later, boat began 1,600 mile journey morgantown, wv clinton. towed down monongahela river pittsburgh, down ohio cairo, il, mississippi river clinton.

moored @ riverfront park in clinton, city used boat floating theatre.

city of clinton

in 1975, u. s. army corps of engineers began construction of new flood control dike on clinton waterfront. forced showboat relocate next 5 years. when showboat returned clinton in 1980, rechristened “city of clinton”

after return clinton, “city of clinton” pulled out of river , permanently installed on new dike. move intended protect boat winter damage in river , make more accessible public. @ same time, exterior of boat painted , interior refurbished.

lillian russell theater

in 1980, theater on city of clinton named lillian russell theater in honor of clinton-born actress, lillian russell. in 1940, film biography of russell show in clinton world premiere. @ time, city commissioned brass plaque commemorate event. plaque installed in lillian russell theater.

in 1983, clinton park board , showboat advisory board decided create own theater company lillian russell theater . in previous years, boards had been paying outside theater companies stage plays , move considered more cost efficient. boards hired artistic director , founded showboat players. first performance in summer of 1984.

clinton area showboat theater

in 1988, new nonprofit group incorporated run lillian russell theater – clinton area showboat theater (cast). 1989, had leased theater. city converted showboat museum theater shop. city replaced boilers , converted front portion of main deck waiting area. in 1989 , 1990, waiting area used rehearsal space showboat players.

1990 s additions

in 1991, city rebuilt entire first deck of city of clinton, removing small motors, generators, , pumps. ticket office mississippi belle ii casino boat constructed in forward section of first deck along new cast box office , concession stand. city installed air conditioning , heating on first deck, in theater , in dressing rooms.

in 1992, city installed handicap elevator , created wheel chair seating area in of theater. in 1995, city built handicap ramp second deck.

with mississippi belle ii, iowa department of criminal investigation , iowa gaming commission moving off showboat, cast has complete use of showboat, moving box office area of gaming commission , artistic director’s office along production stage manager’s office area vacated dci. old box office removed give more space across concession stand.

2000 s remodeling

in 2006, city installed new fire control system, new fire exit sign , new air conditioning system. exterior of city of clinton , paddle wheel painted.

later in decade, theater received new carpeting, new wooden flooring, , new seats. everything.

in june 2016, proposal discussed in clinton city council repaint exterior of boat again due chipping , rust.