The historic centerpiece of downtown Ann Arbor is set to have a little more polishing done than normal. Organizers behind the Michigan Theater are raising extra money to offset higher-than-usual maintenance bills.

"This year we had an unusual number of things go wrong," says Russ Collins, executive director of the Michigan Theater. "It was more than we expected."

For instance, the theater's stage lighting system went on the fritz, and along with it the phone system. Fixing the lighting is expected to cost more than $100,000, but the theater only needs to raise an extra $80,000 because it normally puts aside money for such situations. The theater is also dealing with roof and insulation issues.

The Michigan Theater, across from Borders downtown book store on Liberty Street, was built during the silent film era and was designed to provide live musical accompaniment. The result is exceptional acoustics, one of the reasons it's now home to the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra. A history in photos of the theater can be found here.

It's ornate and palatial surroundings have been preserved over the years, making it one of the top performance venues in Michigan. It consistently attracts big-name acts, such as comedian Bill Maher on Friday.

For information on helping with the repairs, call Laura Gabriel at (734) 646-0528 or click here.

Source: Russ Collins, executive director of the Michigan Theater
Writer: Jon Zemke