When David A. Shockley Sr. surveyed the leaky roof, stained chairs, moth-eaten walls and carpeting of Schine’s Milford Theater on South Walnut Street more than 30 years ago, he didn’t see ruin.
He saw a chance to resurrect a Milford landmark that was once the premiere social spot for locals.
After his death in 1983, it was left to his wife Reatha Freeman, his family and his congregation to continue his dream.
Now, despite naysayers and financial challenges, the Schine Theater of Milford has been born again, and the public will have the chance to witness the transformation during a dedication service held at 3 p.m. Saturday, June 6. The doors will open at 2 p.m.
Bishop Jasper Rolle, Jr. of Abundant Life Tabernacle, Bronx, N.Y. will preach the dedication sermon, and the event will feature performances by the Milford Community Band, Donald Ashley & Millennium and Jesse Watson & the Watson 4.
It took the generosity of a loan from Felton Bank in 2004 and lots of faith to bring the theater’s renovation to fruition, but it was worth the effort, said David A. Shockley Jr., the current pastor of Jesus Love Temple who grew from a 10-year-old boy into a 25-year-old man while his family lived in the parsonage.
“It was a mess in here,” Shockley said. “Structurally the place was sound, but there was wool in the carpet, wool on the walls and moths all over the place. It was crazy. ... This was an amazing transformation. I’m very, very proud of my mother and the church for standing behind me on this project.
The theater now has seating for 600 to 750 people, the carpets and wall coverings have been replaced and it features state of the art lighting and sound systems.
Once the destination for eager movie-goers and the site of Milford High School graduation ceremonies, the Milford Theater will now be used a as venue for concerts, symphonies, dramas, comedians, community events, church and other events.
“I’m glad somebody like David stepped in and renovated it,” said Marvin Schelhouse, Milford Mu-seum curator. He has fond memories of watching movies at the Milford Theater when he was a child, and his graduation ceremony was held there in 1995. “It’s a plus for the town of Milford to have that. Once you lose history, you can’t get it back. It’s nice that the theater has been preserved and people from that time frame appreciate that.”
The theater now has a 12-by-16-foot screen so that movies can once again play in downtown Milford.
However, the church will be choosy of the types of entertainment that will be allowed inside the theater. No state, federal or private grants went toward the nearly $1 million renovation, so the church can maintain control of who uses the building.
“We really want to keep things positive here,” Shockley said. “We want to reinforce spiritual values and the arts. We want to connect the people to God as well. That’s part of our mission to share the love of Christ and the Gospel and to be a benefit to the community,”
Jesus Love Temple will host its first concert by Stellar Award-winning gospel artist Maurette Brown-Clark at 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 27. Tickets cost $10. For more information, call 422-2110.
The renovations to the theater aren’t complete yet. The balcony will be restored in coming years, giving the theater a total of 1,000 seats, Shockley said.
The balcony holds a historical significance that isn’t lost on Shockley. Decades ago, the Milford Theater was segregated, with blacks only allowed to sit in the balcony. Shockley said that while many local blacks have never seen what lay below the balcony or in the lobby, it is a new day, and he anticipates hundreds of people of all races, religions and walks of life will enjoy seeing the results of the renovation.
“We couldn’t have done this without God’s hand,” Shockley said. “This is a miracle all around. ... This is going to be the hotspot of Milford once again.”
Milford, Del. —
