Lighting at the Liberty

Last night we attended Laurel's graduation from Clatsop Community College, which is at the top of the 16th Street hill. The commencement event was held downtown in the ornate 667-seat Liberty Theatre, built after the fire of 1922 and refurbished in 2002. It opened in 1925 and featured silent movies and vaudeville acts. It's said that the accoustics are some of the best in Oregon. My camera and I were not up to the task of showing the interior at its best, and I found myself focused on the arresting ceiling with it's gorgeous period lighting fixture and the round opening allowing entry into the obscured pipes and lighting equipment. It's interesting to click on the photo and peer into the dark.

The Liberty is an Astoria landmark. The sight-lines are all good, the seating is comfortable, and there's plenty of interesting decor. At least some of the paintings depict scenes of Venice. In all, as a theater should, it takes you away from the streets of Astoria and into another world. There was a full house for graduation, so I didn't walk around and take pix from other angles. I will simply have to go back again with my camera. I did get a few other shots that I'll use elsewhere, and of course one of these days I'll show the delightful facade of the building. The Liberty Theatre is considered one of the gems Astoria has to offer to residents and visitors. It's also a key downtown location, and passengers from the cruise ship are often brought to this corner by bus. They can then catch the return bus on the same corner at specified times during the day.

I'm taking part in the Shutter Day photomeme where the theme today is "Light."