When it comes to the Lyric Theater, Timothy Barber can spend hours on end discussing it’s glory days as Little Broadway, the Black community’s only source for entertainment and arts.

“In its original heyday, it was a source of revenue for Overtown,” said Barber, the executive director of the Black Archives History & Foundation of South Florida Inc. “It stands to inspire the community of Overtown because its a standing example of the zeal of a Black community built from the ground up by a Black business man. If it once was, it could be again.”

A brief history of the Lyric Theater

Originally referred to as Colored Town, Overtown was a flourishing, self-sufficient community of Blacks due to segregation laws known as Black codes.

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Lyric Theater in 1999

Opened in 1913 by Geder Walker, the Lyric Theater was the nexus of Overtown, a special place for entertainment that attracted both Black and white patrons who enjoyed authentic Black music and local flavor. The steady stream of business brought by visitors helped stabilize Overtown’s economy which in turn promoted pride in the community.

“The Lyric is a performing arts and motion picture theater,” said Dr. Dorothy Jenkins Field, historian and founder of the Black Archives. “It is a locally and nationally designated historic site, and it’s one of six buildings in the Historic Overtown Village listed on the U. S. Secretary of Interior’s National Register of Historic Places.”

The venue drew a litany of Black legends like Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Marian Anderson, Ella Fitzgerald, Cab Calloway, Lena Horne, Louie Armstrong and Aretha Franklin just to name a few.

Acquired by the Black Archives in the 1980s, the facility underwent three phases of development including restoration in 1999, expansion of the lobby in 2005 and an expansion of the stage and administration building in 2014. Of their stalled rehabilitation, Barber referred to it as “a set back” saying “we had to assess how funds were being spent at the construction site and made administrative changes which delayed it for two years. Once resolved in 2011, we began construction in 2013. At this point we’re moving forward.”

The Lyric Theater’s new deal

Barber’s vision for the theater is a multi-layered plan that will contribute culturally, historically and economically to the residents of Overtown but requires the community at-large to play an active role.

“It’s important to bring economic development to the community,” he said. “We hope people support what we are doing. We are trying to empower the people through employment, education, cultural arts and strengthening economic growth of this neighborhood. We can’t do this without the help of the community–and I’m referring to citizens of Miami-Dade County as a whole.”

“It doesn’t matter what color you are, all of us in Miami-Dade County should be proud of the Lyric Theater,” said Black Archives board member Ruth Clyne. “I really want people in MDC to know that we have something to be very proud, and they should want to become apart of it.”

Kamila Pritchett, the development coordinator at Black Archives, echoed Barber’s comments. “What goes in [in terms] of funding, training and cultural arts comes right back out to the community,” she said. “I am ecstatic to be apart of this revitalization to show people what’s great about Overtown so they can invest and return to its past glory.”

Barber hopes to accomplish his goal by attracting a large pool of “new donors and sponsors” who will continue supporting the Lyric Theater. In 2009, the Black Archives launched the ‘Take Your Seat’ campaign, a philanthropic measure to raise funds for its operations where donors could purchase a seat in the name of family members for $350 to $1,000. The campaign raised over $47,000 with the assistance of 51 individuals.

The City of Miami Southeast Overtown Park West Community Redevelopment Agency recently granted the theater a $572,000 grant to support operations and programing.

Jobs to Overtown

Another facet of Barber’s vision is to systematically bring jobs to Overtown, an issue he spoke candidly about.

“We are trying to change the perception of Overtown,” he said. “At the end of the day, this is a tourist destination.”

“We make it a priority to always start our hiring process by actively recruiting unemployed residents of Overtown,” said Pritchett.

Hence why the Lyric Theater hired 60 new employees in guest services, technical support and parking in preparation for its soft grand-opening that’s scheduled for February 6th at 7 pm. The invite-only opening will include a screening of the documentary, The Black Miami by co-director and producer Carlton Smith. Commissioner Audrey Edmonson will be recognized for her assistance in obtaining general funding.

All employees live within Overtown, and Black Archives educated them with an interactive job training workshop that included segments on professional development, stress management and resolving issues with hospitality. Skills that Barber stressed are necessary for a “customer-friendly workforce” that will assist in giving “tourists the full Overtown experience.”

Marcus Powell, 32, a resident of Overtown with a criminal background, greatly appreciates Black Archives employment initiative.

“From day one, despite me being a laborer I’ve never felt judgement from management,” Powell said during a training session. “Just because I live in Overtown it doesn’t mean that I should be labelled a First 48. The Lyric Theater is changing that dynamic. The Black Archives is basically fighting for us.”

Hired temporarily through Overtown’s Community Redevelopment Agency, Powell worked in the beautification team removing rocks and debris from the theater’s site before he was hired full-time.

“I like the fact that they’re bringing work to Overtown residents — especially jobs that normally would have gone to Spanish laborers,” he said. “Black Archives is actively fighting to bring jobs here which is respectable even for people with criminal backgrounds.”

“I believe that over one hundred years later the community continues to look to the Lyric for jobs, culture and entertainment,” said Jenkins Fields.

For 2014, the Lyric Theater will relaunch Lyric Live, a showcase event that features local performers hosted by comedian, Chello on February 7th. To buy tickets, log on to http://lyriclive.eventbrite.com

To contribute financially to the Lyric Theater, participate in its ‘Take Your Seat’ campaign by contacting Pritchett at 305-636-2390.

For more information, log on to http://theblackarchives.org