Monday at the old Lincoln Theatre

Anacortes sketchers arriving at the old Lincoln Theatre

Behind the scenes at the old Lincoln Theatre-What to choose?

It was a perfect afternoon for painting outside on the sidewalk in Mt. Vernon today. The old Lincoln Theatre (established in 1926) just had their new sign installed and it's pretty fabulous. So that's what I thought I would sketch. I even got started sketching in a shady spot across the street.

It was tempting, but we had unusual access to all the interior and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to prowl around behind the scenes.

As I passed the old fashioned ticket booth under the marquee and entered the lobby, there was the concession stand. It still has original graphics on either end from the 1940's indicating which way to the Guys' and Gals' restrooms.

Monday with Anacortes Sketchers at the old Lincoln Theatre

I wandered all over, from the amazingly spacious auditorium with chandeliers hanging from truly high vaulted ceilings to the dressing rooms, carpenter shop, ushers' uniform closet, and a labyrinth of rooms, hallways and stairways. Someone was in the alley building a new set of steps for the cast entrance. There are still live performances staged at the Lincoln Theatre as well as classic, foreign,  independent and art films.

All that was missing was the sound of fresh hot popcorn and bubbles rising to the top of an enormus cup of Pepsi. That's how I reached the decision to sketch behind the scenes at the concession stand. The octopus-like tangle of tubes connecting the CO2 tanks to the soda dispenser, the Pepsi sign seen through the side of the popcorn machine, and the massive container (down to one third full) of popcorn kernels; all these were fun to sketch from my view at the base of a crooked set of stairs.

Thank you, Margaret, for arranging and hosting such a great opportunity and thanks to the staff at the Lincoln Theatre.