As we noted in our last column, Marietta Square is thriving as it hasn't in years, and much of the reason for that can be chalked up to the success of a pair of local theaters there. One is Theatre on the Square, which is celebrating its 29th season this year and which was profiled in our last column. The other is the Strand Theater, which opened as a movie house in 1935, closed in the 1970s and reopened in January 2009 after being restored. It now offers a menu of live entertainment, movies and concerts.

The driving force behind each of those facilities recently spoke to the Marietta Kiwanis Club. Last time, I featured Theatre in the Square's Palmer Wells. Today, it's Strand director Earl Reece. Like I did last week, I'm just going to quote Earl at length:

"The Strand Theatre officially opened on the Marietta Square on September 24, 1935 with the showing of the movie 'Top Hat' featuring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Fourteen years later - on Sept. 11, 1949, I was born at the Marietta Hospital.

"There was a time in education that acronyms were used to tag and title students and almost everything else as well. If a student was somewhat unruly they were BD. Students were ADD, OCD and ADHD. I was the typical alphabet child and I qualified for almost every acronym that was used. In the eighth grade at Blackwell Elementary School I was introduced to theater by my English teacher, Willard Kennedy, and it changed my life.

"During this time, I wrote a play. It was about five brothers - Ed, Ned, Ted, Fred and Red - and their five girlfriends who were sisters, too. Their names were Arlene, Marlene, Charlene, Carlene and Darlene. I was positive that this play was going to be successful, and I told my parents that I knew what I wanted to do with my life. I wanted to open a theater and make a lot of money when people bought tickets to come to the plays that I had written. One morning when my Mama (notice, not mother, 'Mama') dropped my brother and me off in front of The Strand Theatre, I told her that maybe my play could become a movie and be performed at The Strand one day. She smiled - that motherly smile of support - and said well maybe so, honey. I spent every Saturday of my junior high years at The Strand Theatre. Mama would drop us off my brother, Randy Reece, and me at the theatre and pick us up in the afternoon. I remember being introduced to The Beatles, Doris Day and Elvis Presley.

"I was given a movie projector and camera for my birthday. Every minute was spent filming family, friends and neighbors in embarrassing situations. After my first public viewing, the camera was taken from me and my film career was over.

"As a teenager in Marietta, there were few opportunities to explore and learn about the arts. Riding around the drive-in section of Shoney's on Highway 41 - or as we called it, 'the Four-Lane' was the cultural event of the week.

"In 1971, I became a teacher with the Tattnall County School System. I taught a special education class - and realized the importance of the arts when I decided to stage a play with my class. Shy, insecure students responded to theatre and the opportunity to express themselves on stage.

"I was an educator for 33 years - 31 years with the Cobb County School District. The last 14 years, I directed the performing arts magnet program at Pebblebrook High School. During that time, I was involved with quite a few arts groups and committees.

"I retired from education in 2004, enjoyed retirement for two years, accepted the offer to chair the Education Advisory Committee for the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in 2006 and was asked by Earl Smith to come to work with the Strand Theatre in 2007. ...

"We officially re-opened the Strand on January 10, 2009. Our goal the first year was to have 100 events in the theatre. During the next 12 months, we hosted 503 movies, plays, musicals, meetings, weddings and corporate events. I think we will surpass that number this year. ... We have been honored to work with the Humane Society of Cobb County - and look forward to working with them on Feb. 12 when we will be presenting a black-tie event called 'Putting on the Ritz.' We've hosted events with the Junior League, the Aviation Wing of the History Museum, the Marietta Foundation, the Cobb Symphony, Pebblebrook, Hickory Hills and Dowell elementaries.

"The Strand is a multi-functional facility. We have an auditorium that will seat 531 and two event rooms - one on the second floor and one on the fourth."

"One of my strongest traits is my ability to surround myself with extremely competent and energetic people who are highly motivated and enthusiastic about what they're doing on a daily basis. Because of the economy and the fact that our budget is extremely low, everyone on our staff wears many different hats. Honestly, we don't just wear different hats, we own the hat store. We have six full time employees - and four of them are under the age of 28.

"If you haven't been to the Strand yet, I encourage you to correct the mistake. If you have been, I encourage you to come back."

"I want to end by saying that the Square has really become an arts and cultural destination. With the Gone With the Wind Museum, the Welcome Center, dK gallery, the Marietta Museum of Art, Theatre in the Square and the Strand people realize the importance that our community puts on the arts."

It's an emphasis that's good to see, and we salute those like Earl and Palmer that are doing so much to make that happen.

Bill Kinney is associate editor of the Marietta Daily Journal.