![]() ![]() In the spring of ’48 the brothers decided to discontinue the fairgrounds theater and open a new drive-in on the other side of town. The city of Florence campaigned to purchase a larger property east of the old Army Air Base to be used as the new fairgrounds. The theater was popular, but the fairgrounds were getting too small for the fair and the large crowds it attracted. Old news articles suggest that the Bensons may have been inspired to open their own drive-in after supplying camera equipment to a growing number of other theaters in the region. In the mid-1940s drive-ins were a growing trend and the Bensons saw potential profit in it. The Bensons ran Ace Camera Supply on Evans St. The “Florence Drive-In” was open most of the year, but closed for one week in the fall, when the fair came to town and overtook the fair grounds. The audio was often hard to hear over the sound of trains which frequently came down the tracks on the other side of the road. In his book “Remembering Florence”, former Morning News editor Thom Anderson recalls that cars pulled in to a large pasture-like area beside the fairgrounds, and that the films’ audio was played through large speakers mounted on top of the screen, which faced the highway. Stanley Benson of Florence.įrom July of 1946 to August of 1948, the brothers ran a small outdoor theater located at the Pee Dee fairgrounds, “… on the Darlington Highway (Lucas St), just west of Young Pecan Co.(now Seminar Brewing Co)”. The earliest drive-ins in Florence were owned and operated by Kenneth E. Twenty years later there were 4000 drive-ins throughout the country, mostly in rural areas. The first drive-in in the US opened in New Jersey in 1933. Spurred by the growth of the automobile and film industries, drive-ins quickly became an icon of American entertainment. On December 17 Teatro Verdi hosts a performance of Howard Blake’s The Snowman.Drive in movie theaters first appeared in the US in the early 20th century. The Snow Queen, composed and directed by Teo Paoli, is scheduled for December 18 Italo dall’Orto’s adaptation of The Little Prince is scheduled for December 26 and 27 and the Wizard of Oz plays from January 6 to 8. ![]() Teatro Puccini offers a children’s mini-season for the Christmas holidays. From December 30 through January 8 the histrionic Enrico Montesano performs the brilliant Marchese del Grillo, based on Mario Monicelli’s film featuring the unique Alberto Sordi. Teatro Verdi presents two intense performances, one packed with passion and the other with irony: Evita, the Musical, featuring Andrew Lloyd Webber’s famous music and Tim Rice’s lyrics, starring the bold, talented Malika Ayane, December 6 through 11. Teatro Verdi hosts a Christmas concert by Orchestra Regionale della Toscana conducted by Peter Guth, who will also play the violin, in an evening of Strauss, Suppé, Stolz and Lehár entitled Saluti da Vienna on December 24.ĭaniele Cipriani’s dance company will perform The Nutcracker at Teatro Verdi on December 22, while the famous Moscow Ballet version of The Nutcracker is scheduled for December 23 at Teatro della Pergola. Following the show of 31 December: a Gala Dinner and midnight, after the toast, a magnificent fireworks display on the forecourt of the Opera of Florence. Opera di Firenze presents a concert by the Voci Bianche del Maggio children’s choir directed by Maestro Fratini on December 21, followed by a Christmas concert on December 23 in which the choir and orchestra will perform sacred music by Vivaldi, Bach and Carpentier performances of Mika’s sparkling Pop Symphony are scheduled for December 30 and 31. Teatro Niccolini stages a world-famous play, Molière’s The Miser, for December 29 through January 5. Teatro della Pergola once again stages some great masterpieces, starting with one of the greatest works by Naples’ best-known dramatist, on stage December 27 through January 8: Natale in casa Cupiello, directed by Luigi De Filippo, who plays the main character in a work written by his own uncle. Events that light up holidays in Florence From theater to music our handbook must-seesĭecember is always a busy month, and the theatres of Florence have plenty of shows to offer, including events for children, the greatest fans of Christmas! ![]()
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