Joan Bennett & The Star Plaza Theatre

The following link will take you to an article commemorating the 25th anniversary of Indiana's Star Plaza Theatre, and it briefly mentions how a 1969 appearance by Joan Bennett helped to make the theatre a reality. Check it out:

M'Ville theater, owner celebrate 25th anniversary

It's nice to know that during the long period when Bennett was absent from the 1897 storyline, she was helping Northwest Indiana audiences take the arts "to the next level." 

Interesting article.  I was up there on a business trip a few years ago and stayed near this theater but had no idea about any of that. Merrillville has the added advantage of being really close to Chicago theater too.

Too bad similar things weren't happening with any great speed in Indy at the time which would now have a nice long history behind them. Artistic progress is something we can always use more of in the rest of the state as well.  According to stories my mother told, the 40's were fairly active with Big Bands and famous actors coming to town all the time.  But after the war things died down considerably.  The brilliant PTB even tore down some of the old theatres - including one really beautiful one called the Old English Theatre where my mother saw Tallulah Bankhead perform.  I'm sure people who remember it still cringe when they think of that level of stupidity.  .