| A set of guidelines that can be used as planning tools by an organization that plans to rehabilitate a historic theatre or opera house in a rural community is developed through the analysis of the rehabilitation of three historic theatres located outside the major metropolitan areas in Missouri. Using these guidelines, specific strategies are then proposed for a theatre that is a candidate for rehabilitation.;Three theatres were evaluated in the study: the Greenfield Opera House in Greenfield, Missouri, the Farris Theatre in Richmond, Missouri, and the Liberty Center in Sedalia, Missouri. These theatres were selected based on the location and size of the town, construction date, original use, and rehabilitated use.;For each case study, the history of the theatre is chronicled and community demographics are presented. The characteristics and organizational structure of the group spearheading the rehabilitation process are examined; the planning, implementation and outcome of the rehabilitation are described; and details regarding the repair, restoration, and rehabilitation of the building are provided. Finally, the current use of the building, the future plans and goals of each of the organizations and the operational strategies of the renovated theatres are examined.;The basic components of three different theatre rehabilitation projects are compared and the specific strategies in each town are evaluated. Based on the success of these strategies, a set of generic components or patterns is developed into a set of guidelines for organizations planning the rehabilitation of their local historic theatre. These guidelines are then applied in the development of a set of specific strategies for a theatre in Moberly, Missouri. |
