Historic North Theatre Works to Save Miami Beach Mural

Wayne Alan, the owner of The Historic North Theatre in Danville, VA has offered to provide a home for a 90-foot-long mosaic mural on an addition to the historic Versailles Hotel in Miami Beach that depicts Apollo pulling the gleaming chariot of the sun across the sky. The mural is in danger of being destroyed since Miami Beach's preservation board already approved the demolition of the addition but evidently overlooked the mural.

According to the Miami Herald, "The Modernist glass-mosaic mural was created for the Versailles addition in the mid-1950s by Jack Stewart, a well-regarded artist whose work is in some major museums and collections around the country." Mr. Alan, a preservationist himself, is trying to turn the area around his 1947 theatre into a theatre and arts district and knows the mural would be a wonderful addition. He said, "I would prefer it stay in Miami Beach, but if not, we would love to give it a new home here in Danville." Alan made his offer to both Versailles' new owner, developer Alan Faena, and the mayor of the city of Miami Beach.

Mr. Alan purchased The Historic North Theatre on Friday the 13th, 2012. He is America's only World Champion Illusionist, having won the gold medal for Grand Illusion at FISM, the World Championship of Magic, which is considered the Olympics of Magic. He won the award on Friday the 13th and was using dressing room 13. He has appeared numerous times on national TV and 13 ½ times at the White House. He is also the only magician who has written a cookbook, Magical Meatless Meals-Famous Foods from Famous People and Places. It features secret recipes from celebrities, chefs and well known restaurants around the country, including the Loews Miami Beach Hotel, where he performed for its grand opening gala in 1999.