Center for Archival Collections

Introduction | Agency History | Scope and Content | Series Description | Inventory

 Introduction

The records for the Cla-Zel Theatre Project were donated for the Center for Archival Collections, Bowling Green State University in December of 2007 by Paul Yon.

The records for this project include many financial documents, projects, correspondence letters including both letters and e-mails, and other historical documents relating to the project and the history of the Cla-Zel Theatre.

Literary and property rights have been dedicated to the public and duplication is permitted for the purposes of preservation. Collection is open to the public and was processed in February of 2008, by Ryan Mizak.

 Agency History

Since the beginning of 2003 the historic Cla-Zel Theatre in downtown Bowling Green, Ohio has, with the effort of its board of trustees and others, tried to stay open. This theater means so much to the downtown of Bowling Green and to the state, as the oldest single-run movie theater in Ohio. In both 2003 and 2005 fund raisers attempted to raise money to put new life into the Cla-Zel project. Between these periods various contractors and buyers offered to purchase the Cla-Zel but no one made their move at that time. By the summer of 2005 both fundraising and trying to sell the theatre failed to save it, and in May of that year the Cla-Zel was shut down. Since the theater's closing, the Cla-Zel board of trustees received many offers for the theatre. Eventually the trustees realized that saving or revitalizing the theatre was not possible, and in November of 2007 the theater was sold.

 Scope and Content

The collection for the Cla-Zel project centers mainly on the years from 2002 or so until 2006. Within the documents are financial records of the board of trustees of Cla-Zel Inc. as well as other groups involved in the project. The collection also contains fundraising records from both fundraisers Cla-Zel Inc. held in 2003 and 2005. Theses fundraising records include financial documents as well as event plans and participants for the fundraisers. Additionally this collection has a variety of correspondence between those who were working on various parts of the Cla-Zel project, including many emails and letters. Furthermore, there are also limited historical data and documents relating to early stages of the Cla-Zel's existence.

 Series Description

CORRESPONDENCE

LETTERS AND EMAILS
2003-2006
Arranged chronologically
Letters and Emails discussing the shut down or stop to the Cla-Zel project

PIPE ORGAN EMAILS
2004
Arranged chronologically
Emails discussing the purchase of a pipe organ for the Cla-Zel

LETTERS AND EMAILS
2004
Arranged chronologically
Letters and Emails discussing Daimler-Chrysler's donation towards helping the Cla-Zel

SUBJECT/CASE FILES

OFFICE - Cla-Zel Inc. Meeting
2003
Arranged chronologically
Discusses how new project should be run and who is participating in it

OFFICE-Fundraiser
2003
Arranged chronologically
Fundraising information including, who was involved, money made/spent and so on

OFFICE-Fundraising Ideas
2004
Arranged chronologically
Lists the ideas/emails for fundraiser, includes, lists of talent to recruit and budget

OFFICE-Historic Theatres
Various dates
Arranged chronologically
Lists and describes numerous historical theatres and how to find them

REPORTS

STATISTICAL-Program Statement
2004
Arranged chronologically
Report(s) and Email(s) on Cla-Zel project, where it has come and where it is going

STATISTICAL-Feasibility Study
2005
Arranged chronologically
Study by Poggemeyer Design Group on Cla-Zel and the possibility for reconstruction

STATISTICAL-Ohio Arts Council
2005-2006
Arranged chronologically
Ohio Arts Council keeping up to date with the Cla-Zel programs/projects

LITERARY PRODUCTIONS

INTERVIEWS-Interviews on memories of Cla-Zel
2003
Arranged chronologically
Interviews with various people about various time periods of the Cla-Zel

FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS

STATEMENTS
2003-2005
Arranged chronologically
Financial statements and tax forms tracking profits and loss of the Cla-Zel project

SCRAPBOOK MATERIAL

NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS-History/Background on Cla-Zel
1926-2005
Arranged chronologically
Newspaper clippings, historical inventory, and explanation about the Cla-Zel

MARKETING-Promotions
2003
Arranged chronologically
Promotions and marketing for various upcoming events at Cla-Zel

 Inventory

Box 1

Folders

1. Letters and Emails, 2003-2006
2. Pipe Organ Emails, 2004
3. Letters and Emails, 2004
4. Cla-Zel Inc. Meeting Papers, 2003
5. Fundraiser, 2003
6. Fundraising Ideas, 2004
7. Historic Theatres, Various dates
8. Black Swamp Players, 2006

Box 2

Folders

1. Program Statement, 2004
2. Feasibility Study, 2005
3. Ohio Arts Council, 2005-2006
4. Interviews on Cla-Zel
5. Statements, 2003-2005
6. History/Background on Cla-Zel, 1926-2005
7. Marketing/Promos, 2003
8. CD of Clazel Poster
9. Video-BG 1959
10. Video-The Editors
11. Video-Interview on Clazel-voice only
12. Cassette taped interviews, Boyd Crawford and unidentified, n.d.

Oversize

1. Video-Irene, first movie shown at Clazel
2. Video-Clazel Dub
3. Drawings of Cla-Zel renovations by Poggemeyer

Manuscripts by Subject | Arts & Entertainment | Miscellaneous Collections