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WMTOS
WESTERN MARYLAND THEATER ORGAN SOCIETY
PURPOSE:
The Western Maryland Theater Organ Society was founded in 2003 to preserve and promote the theater organ and its music and to subsidize programs for all those interested in preserving this form of entertainment. The society, which is in the process of attaining non-profit status, serves the local and greater tri-state region of Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. The goal of the WMTOS is to showcase the versatility of the theater organ in performing a variety of musical venues by sponsoring regular events, including silent films, utilizing this instrument.
Through its members, the society hopes to explain the background and heritage of the theater organ, from the silent era to the present, and to increase public awareness of this unique instrument and its importance to the entertainment industry of the early twentieth century. Thus, it is a major goal of this organization to restore theater organs and place them in local theaters so that today’s audiences can enjoy an authentic “silent” movie experience of a bygone era. As part of its membership participation, the society endeavors to get its members actively involved in theater organ restoration projects.
THE THEATER:
The society is fortunate to be partners with the Frostburg Palace Theatre, a non-profit cultural center that is interested in replacing a theater organ removed from the premises in the 1960s. The original pipe organ was a Wurlitzer (Opus 1371, Style 105 Sp), having two manuals and three ranks of pipes. It was originally installed in the Athens Theater, New Bern, North Carolina on June 22nd 1926. When this instrument was replaced with a larger organ roughly a year later, the Palace Theatre acquired the small Wurlitzer. It was installed on September 12th 1927 for the purpose of accompanying silent films, but quickly fell into disuse with the advent of talkies (The Jazz Singer was released in 1927). No one remembers who removed the instrument, nor is there any record of its existence after removal.
A theater organ would be a welcome addition to the Palace Theatre, not only for its use in the faithful presentation of silent films, but also as an instrument for solo concerts and choral accompaniment. The WMTOS has an agreement with the Palace whereby an acquired organ will be refurbished, installed, and maintained by the society in exchange for free access and use of the instrument on a regular basis.
THE ORGAN:
In the fall of 2003 the Frostburg Palace Theatre, Inc. received a donation of a two-manual, eleven rank Moller Theater Organ originally located in Lowe’s Palace Theater, Washington, DC. The organ will be completely refurbished using volunteer labor and installed in the Frostburg Palace. Henceforth, the organ will be known as the Doug Bailey Memorial Theater Pipe Organ in honor of the late Doug Bailey, the previous owner of this instrument.
OFFICERS AND DUES:
The founding officers of the WMTOS are George Plitnik (president), Kurt Deffinbaugh (secretary), and John Brode (treasurer). The dues have been set at a nominal fee to afford as many people as possible the opportunity to become members. The annual dues will be: $15 for individuals, $20 for families, and $25 for organizations and businesses.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Email: theater.organ@gmail.com Telephone: 301-264-4729 (George Plitnik)
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