WICHITA, Kan. — A fire disrupted opening night at the Crown Uptown Theatre in Wichita after lighting appeared to strike the nearly 100-year-old building.
General manager Max Wilson said actors who were rehearsing for another show at the church across the street saw lighting hit the theater before the building’s lights flickered and surged and a loud jolt was heard. Wilson said a burning smell and smoke coming from the basement tipped performers that something was wrong. Wilson said he ran into the basement and used an extinguisher to put out a breaker that was on fire as an alarm warned everyone to exit the building.
It wasn’t immediately clear how much damage the building sustained.
