If you missed your chance to say goodbye to The State Theatre, the 92-year-old entertainment venue that served as a home to vaudeville, movie showings, live music, and community theater, fear not: WEAU has produced a  great mini-documentary taking you through its halls and history.

“The opportunity to create this documentary allowed me to tell a story of the theater, the arts center and the memories of what it all meant.” – Andrew Felix, WEAU TV-13

WEAU aired Stories of the State on Sunday, Sept. 16.  WEAU’s Andrew Felix spearheaded this project, which includes photos, news clips from the venue’s reopening in 1988, video of some of the more recent performances, and interviews with a number of familiar faces within the arts community.

“The opportunity to create this documentary allowed me to tell a story of the theater, the arts center and the memories of what it all meant,” Felix said.  A consistent volunteer for the Eau Claire Children’s Theatre for nine years during his youth, he spent a lot of time in The State, and believed the building and the experiences made there were special.  

“This gave me a chance to ask the questions that I’ve always wanted to know,” Felix said.  “I learned more than I ever expected.”

Felix is thankful for the skills and connections he developed during his involvement with The State Theatre.  “Maybe producing this was my little way of giving back to the community that gave me so much,” he said.