Saturday Afternoon at the Stage Show – Dr. Ed Iannuccilli

Saturday Afternoon at the Stage Show – Dr. Ed Iannuccilli

The Fays, an intimate theatre on a narrow street in downtown Providence, was a frequent Saturday destination when I was a kid. Originally opened as the Union Theatre in the 1920s at the intersection of Union and Worcester Streets, it was demolished, regrettably, in May of 1951. The theatre’s Saturday special was a stage show followed by a cartoon and a movie.

Not long ago, I strolled the street, remembering the theater’s marquee, its sea of deco tiles adorning the outside, the peninsular stage, and the silver screen. The Fays was long gone, but for me, my memories made it real, again.

The standing invitation for the Fays was, “See it all for 10 cents.” I went on those Saturdays when the recognizable TV cowboys and their horses appeared. 

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My friends and I  started the day at the bus stop near my home. The bus was crowded with adults and children who were also on their way to the city, either for a show (perhaps the organist and movie at The Loews State), or to a movie at the Majestic, Albee, Carlton, or Strand Theaters. Moms loved to shop at the lively, busy stores; one of those stops The Boston Store for a chunk of their delicious, mouth-watering custard pie. Downtown Providence was a destination.

After departing the bus at Exchange Place, we had a short walk to The Fays located near the Army/Navy Store and a restaurant called the Chicken Coop. We purchased our tickets and hustled to the candy counter (Jujubes, Mason Dots, and Holloway Milk Duds my favorites). We fought our way to seats nestled in the din of eager, impatient kids bopping in their places, or tossing missiles of rolled-up candy wrappers.

As I recall, the show opened with a few vaudeville acts; maybe trained seals or dogs, acrobats, muscle men . . . I’m not sure. Then the raucous crowd quieted because there, directly ahead, appeared such heroes as Ken Maynard and his horse Tarzan, or Bill Boyd (Hopalong Cassidy) and his horse Topper or Hoot Gibson (who was his horse?). They sang, tossed a lasso, and casually chatted with us. I so wanted to be a cowboy.

My favorites were Gene Autry with his horse, Champion, and Roy Rogers and Trigger. The feature was always a cowboy movie.  On the Saturday I saw Gene, the accompanying movie was “Strawberry Roan” starring, of course, Gene and Champion.

When the movie ended, we were prepared to be cowboys, but before going home to change into chaps, cowboy hats, and six-shooters, we made one more stop for a coffee milk shake at the ice cream parlor. Then the return home on the bus in the late afternoon; an experience to treasure.

I often think of vaudeville at The Fays when I go to a theater. In addition to transporting me to a home of fantasy, the theater helped to expand my imagination, my education, and my long-lasting friendships.

And the cost for the day? Ten cents!

Dr. Ed Iannuccilli is the author of three popular memoirs, “Growing up Italian; Grandfather’s Fig Tree and Other Stories”, “What Ever Happened to Sunday Dinner” and “My Story Continues: From Neighborhood to Junior High.”  Learn more here.