(Photo: Visit Clarksdale)
- It’s a magical place, and the feeling you get when you visit it is as mysterious as the Delta itself.
Clarksdale, Mississippi – The Crossroads where Robert Johnson is said to have sold his soul to the devil so that he could gain fame in the world of the blues. Located south of Memphis, in the Mississippi Delta, many say it’s where blues music was born. Music legends Sam Cooke and Muddy Waters got their start in the river town. Today’s artists keep the legend alive – LaLa Craig, Watermelon Slim, Anthony “Big A” Sharrod, and many others. And today blues can be heard in Clarksdale seven days a week, in some venue or another.
One of those venues is The New Roxy, a former movie theatre in its glory days. One could argue that now is a pretty glorious time, because The New Roxy has gone through a resurgence, and there is live music on her stage and dancing under the stars (the roof is long gone) on the sloping concrete floor. It’s a magical place, and the feeling you get when you visit it is as mysterious as the Delta itself.
The theatre sat vacant, deteriorating, and covered in weeds that grew up from the cracks in the sidewalks, including invasive poison ivy that grew both inside and outside the building. The once bright sign that lit up the marquee was faded. But all it took was someone with vision to begin renovating the old shell of a former theatre to bring it back to life.
The New Roxy is located in the Historic New World District of Clarksdale, on the edge of downtown. I first visited the theatre when I was in town for a weekend to attend the Juke Joint Festival in April 2018. A taping of the Thacker Mountain Radio Hour was free to the public. We took our folding chairs and thermos with us and staked our spots in front of the crumbling masonry stage. High brick walls rose above us on either side, distressed, yet beautiful.
Soon the venue was filled with fans, and Paul Tate and the Yalobushwacker Band, house band of the Thacker Mountain, began to play. The acoustics in the old shell of a building were amazing. Under a cool April sky, we listened as host Jim Dees introduced authors and musical artists. An hour later, the show was over. But we lingered, enjoying the weather, the camaraderie with other fans, and being in that amazing piece of Clarksdale history. Dare I say, we were sad to leave.
I’ve been back to The New Roxy several times since, for more Thacker Mountain shows, and for a few concerts. The venue is open for special events only, and most of those feature live blues music.
Robin Colonas purchased the building in 2008. It had been sitting vacant, returning to the elements, for thirty years. Robin assembled a group of friends and volunteers who shared her vision, and they have slowly brought the theatre back to life.
Like many people in Clarksdale, Robin Colonas is a transplant from somewhere else. While she may have been a newcomer to the Delta, she did her homework, reading history books, and spending precious hours visiting with and listening to the locals who have spent most of their lives in Clarksdale. She was determined to recapture some of the rich history and culture of the once vibrant neighborhood located on the edge of downtown Clarksdale.
For five years, Robin’s army removed the vines, debris, and rotting wood. With their bare hands and a wheelbarrow, they removed the roof, the balcony, and most of the badly deteriorated theatre seats.
The project created a renewed sense of community interest, and Robin became a neighborhood hero.
“It was, quite honestly, a completely spontaneous decision without a solid long-term plan,” Robin says on her website. “My dreams and visions are many. Ultimately, I would love a full historic restoration including a new roof, a glowing marquee, and a beautiful air-conditioned space that could accommodate live music, special events, theater, and films accompanied by a state-of-the-art sound system. However, my mother always told me I had champagne taste on a beer budget, so the reality of my dream is slow and steady as I explore the options, ride out the economic downturn, buy lottery tickets, and continue putting a lot of sweat equity into the small improvements that I can make.”
A roof was built over the stage end of the building in 2010, and some roof has been added over the front lobby area.
“I intend to leave the main audience space open air. The positive feedback from visitors appreciating the open air feel has reinforced my decision to leave parts of the venue with a view of the sky.”
