Mark Your Calendar: Fundraiser for New Documentary by Bruce Nelson

Image courtesy of NEDCO

Volstead Public House will be the venue on October 3 from 7-9 pm to stage a fundraiser for the completion of a new here-in-Mesa production by artist/documentary film maker Bruce Nelson.
The world-famous Nile Theater, cited here on MesaZona in a post on July 24th as an early example of Creative Place Making [1924 when it opened], will be the focus for the sense of place this Main Street location has generated for over 90 years with the people that made that happen in a script and stories developed by the same Mesa-born talent who produced "North Town" featured in a post on this site on June 13th.
In a telephone conversation with Bruce he stated that more funding and support will be useful and welcome to continue researching source materials in historical archives, interviewing first-person accounts about the Nile Theater over decades of change and transformation in the location, then recording and filming and editing the finished documentary that will cover nearly everything from the era of silent films, traveling productions, Saturday kids' movies and up to the current roster of music performances staged by the Mantooth Group.

Bruce gratefully acknowledged being selected as a Ripple Grant recipient from NEDCO, with early additional financial support from Pomeroy's, the Farnsworth family and research help from Sarah Morehead.
Other benefactors are encouraged, either at the October 3rd Fundraiser or contributions can be sent to:
NEB Productions
POB 802
Mesa, AZ 85211

For more information, questions, or letting the producer know about Mesa residents who have stories they want to be heard, please email: niletheaterdocumentary@gmail.com

Here's a link to the Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/Nile-Theater-An-Oasis-In-The-Desert-1638651643066267/timeline/

Jennifer Disbrow on the staff of NEDCO had this to say:

We are so excited to support Bruce's documentary on the Nile Theater. He came to us with a great head start on the research which showed how thorough and detailed the film had the potential to be.

It is great to be able to focus on a local theater with so much history that represents a space for community to gather and celebrate the arts.

Ripple grants support projects that use artistic expression to celebrate local business and engage community members, and the Nile Theater: An Oasis in the Desert is a wonderful example of this.

Readers of this blog can read more about Creative Place Making in  a previous post on this site dated August 6 - you'll find a link to the full playlist.