This is going to be fun. I love this place. It's located in Janice, depot. It's called
10 chimneys. And if you've never heard of 10 chimneys before, you're about to now. Randy
Bryant, who's the president and CEO of the 10 chimneys foundation is here. And the
reason he's here, we're going to tell you about in just a moment. But first, hey, good
morning, Randy. Thanks for joining us. Good morning, John. It's good to be here. Okay, now
10 chimneys is located in Janice, depot. It's it's more than just a home, a former home of some
Broadway legends. What can you give us a little history of 10 chimneys? Sure, 10 chimneys was
was developed by Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontan. Alfred used to spend his summers out in and
Genesee depot with his family. So when he came to his inheritance, he started, he built the
first section of 10 chimneys and just continued on adding on through that all the way up until
the last issue was put on in the late 40s. But it is the state of Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontan,
who were the premier and stage actors from the 20s to the 60s. And but it really was a
respite for Broadway and soon to be Hollywood because so many of the great actors that come
out there that just Helen A to Lawrence, Olivier, Catherine Hepburn, Charlie Chaplin,
just a Boris Carlaw. And many people that are no longer here today, but made major
in roles in American theater. And so it was the place for true inspiration for not only literary
but theater. I toured the property three times. Once with my wife, then my mother-in-law,
then my mother. And then we went through another time. I'll tell you about a moment. And you get
to stand in the rooms where like Helen Hayes and Orson Well slept and get to sit in that room
where they ate dinner. Wow. I mean, I'm a I'm a big Broadway fan and movies to a movie fan.
And to be in the same spot where these people were. Now Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontan,
they were the toaster Broadway. They were a lot of Broadway shows. They made some movies,
but my mainly Broadway was there. They're big thing. Why did they come to Wisconsin to get away
from it all? Well, as I mentioned earlier, Alfred was born and raised in Wisconsin.
And so his family was here. This is where he truly loved coming to as a resident. He introduced
Lynn and Lynn totally fell in love. So when he bought the first three acres after receiving his
inheritance, they had the vision of expanding on and creating this really amazing life for
himself out in Jesse Depot. So as their careers, if they have, they continue to advance in
chimneys and building additional portions on it. And they really had envisioned this really
beautiful country of state. Lynn bought into it coming from England. And it really became
this place where not only they love to come and they actually put in their contract that they
would spend every summer out in and Tennessee Depot. And that they would bring their friends.
They fell in love with it. So Carol Channing and many of the other Broadway luminary,
they would come out and nearly spend a lot of time. But you got to remember that back then,
it was not easy to get out to Tennessee Depot that's way out in the country. So you know,
today we could drive out there in 35 minutes from Milwaukee. But it took you all day and traveling.
And if you think about what part of the country coming from the couple of days.
Yeah, you had to take it. You took a train to Milwaukee. Then you took a pack mule out to
Tennessee Depot. Not quite like that.
You get out there. Okay. Now you can tour 10 chimneys. They have dozens out there that will give
a tour. And they're, it's really nice. They have a nice gift shop there. It's really nice. But
what my wife did for me once, she knows I am a super fan of movies and Turner Classic Movies.
And when Turner Classic Movies first came on the air, they only had one host. And he was there
for years. It was Robert Osborne. He was the star of Turner Classic Movies. And you guys brought
him in for a for a meet and greet a Q and A. And my wife said, I got to get my husband out here.
That's his hero Robert Osborne. So she bought me the, she bought me the, the meet and greet.
And I got to talk to Robert Osborne, ask him some questions. And he couldn't have been
nicer. I think he was signing a book at the time. And you do that from time to time. You'll
bring in big celebrities or artists. And people can buy the meet and greets to get out there.
Because it's a foundation. It's mainly a donation you're making to get in there. And you do that
from time to time. Now how can people check on this on your website? So yeah, so we do it every
year. You can definitely go to our website during, and there will time be here. But you definitely
have the opportunity during July when we have the Love by Tap Fellowship. And we have what's
called the Conversation Theory, which is you're, you're able to attend the conversations with
as, you know, whether it's a master teacher or someone from Broadway or from someone famous within
the art. I interview them and then you have the opportunity to ask them questions. That's during
the Love by Tap Fellowship Week. And then also during that week we have a concluding presentation
where you're able to see what the actors have been working on with the master teacher. And the
master teacher is typically someone that is iconic. Someone that the, these actors who have a
middle of 20 years of acting experience is really quite appreciative. They're like they're going
to be able to gain something from them. So once again, Ken Chimney is about excellence. It's about
experience. And so we really try to bring in the top just like Alfred and Lynn, where it's
supposed to be not only theater roads. People are really at the top of their game. They continue to
perfect their craft. And that's what we do at Ken Chimney. Randy Bryant joining us. He is the
president and CEO of Ken Chimney's, the 10 Chimney's Foundation in in Genesee Depot. We talked
about 10 Chimney's a few moments ago. Now we're going to talk about the reason that Randy is
schlepping all the way to New York. It's because there's a new documentary opening up about the
Lynn, uh, Lunt Fontaine's. And it's, it's opening up. They just debuted at the Lunt Fontaine
theater on Broadway actually. There's only one theater that's actually on Broadway, the
restaurant sites, streets I haven't used. Um, and, uh, you know, it's an honor to have a theater
named after you because there were a limited number of Broadway theaters. And the Lunt Fontaine
theater is a huge theater and many big Broadway hits have played there over the years. But now the
biggest of all the documentary premiered. What'd you tell us about that? Sure. And, you know,
it was so fitting and proper for it to premiere at the Lunt Fontaine theater. Again, one of the
largest theaters on Broadway. It's the one that bared the name, which honors the fact that they
were theater royalty. Um, but the documentary is called this place matters 10 Chimney. And the
name comes from the fact that when, um, Alfred died 1977, Lynn died 83. And when the, um, after they
died, Alfred's brother-in-law, uh, George Buckby, he took care of the, uh, these days and in the
family, when he died, they put it up for sale. And it came very close to being locked. All of these
great treasures, everything that was purchased by Lynn and Alfred, everything that was created
by the set designers and all that work that worked out there. They came supposed to be a law.
They got that Dr. Joseph Card, who was a restaurant who were from Madison. Um, he's all
important. And so he purchased 10 Chimney and then sold it to the foundation. Once the foundation
provided, they had a think tank and, um, they came up with a concept of 10 Chimney. And so we're,
we're so fortunate, I would say. So that's why the title of this place matters. But it really is
the story of Alfred and Lynn. Most people do not know them because even though they worked all
over the country, um, they, um, they only did one major picture, um, of which was the guardsman.
So many people today would not, uh, remember them. And so 10 Chimney, uh, this place matters 10
Chimney really gives their stories, shows what their importance is to America's theater, um, how they
perfected not only, um, what we see as acting today, but those people that they mentor throughout.
And so 10 Chimney's carries on that whole legacy with the programs that we have in place today.
A lot by Sam Gosling Program, being the program for actors with a minimum 20 years of acting
experience, all the workshops that we do have to play, um, in honor of the lunch because the
lunch were, um, they did mostly new work and, uh, they created the work they've brought together,
directed playwrights, um, um, actors and they created work. So again, the documentary honors them,
um, but also tell the story of 10 Chimney and what's going on today and, and it's, uh,
it's reverence to not only the past, but also to the future, so by this documentary being out,
it really culminates the future of 10 Chimney. So how can we get a chance to see it? Is it going to
be strained? Is it going to play it theaters across the country? How do we get a chance to see it?
Well, you won't get a chance to see it. Um, the distribution, um, right to being negotiated
right now. I cannot divulge that at this stage now, but you will have an opportunity to see it
in 2026. Uh, we did decide not to go with Netflix because we wanted to make sure that
it has the most opportunity of being seen and continue to be seen throughout. So what I can't tell
you is that the rights we're negotiating now would give us distribution to 16 stations across the
country and show three times a year. Excellent. Now you're going to let us know, you're going to
let me know when this is available so we can talk about it on the radio, correct? Absolutely,
you'll be the first one I call that. That's what I wanted to hear the first one. That's,
that's what I've been waiting for. Okay. So this, so this documentary and how, how long is it about
an hour and a half or so? It's an hour and 15 minutes.
An hour and 15 minutes. And they don't show movies usually at Broadway theaters. So they had to
bring it a screen at the Lundfontan theater because. Well, this is important. This is an important
point. If you think about it, that's the Lundfontan theater. Um, you're right. It's, it is not for movies
as a theater. So everything has to be converted. Um, and there is a major play that's going
right now and that's just becomes her, which is a $39 million production. And so if you think
about it, to be able to get the, the rights to, to not only to premiere this at the Lundfontan
theater, but also in the middle of a major production where the lighting and the sound and all that,
the, the, that production would not want to be disturbed. Plus, it's a union house. It was a major
feat. And that's why I say the God of Lenin and Halford were really shying upon us because.
Well, it wasn't the thing to do, but we got it done. And many people said, you'll never get it.
When I said, I'm going to go out to Lundfontan because you'll never get it. And my position was just
watching. You know, I was looking up some of the shows that have played at the Lundfontan theater.
And most recently you said, death becomes her sweetie Todd just before that Tina, which was the
Tina Turner musical play there in 2019, the sound of music, beauty in the beast. I mean,
the list goes on and on the legendary Lundfontan theater. Now, these are very old theaters. And it
is such an honor. And they, from time to time, they'll take a theater and they'll name it after
somebody who donated their life to Broadway, whether it be a writer or like the Richard Rogers
theater. They have the the August Wilson theater, but it's such an honor. And the Lundfontan
theater will live forever because these theaters go, I mean, they're like, they'll go on forever.
They let's keep bringing musicals in there. And they keep selling out. It is very difficult to get
a seat to some of these musicals because I follow them. And they're sold out like to 100% capacity
every week. And that's why every night, every night, the Lundfontan theater sold out 1,500 seats
every night. And it's important to mention that you said they're old theaters, not old. They are
historic theaters and Alfred and Lynn, you know, the Lundfontan theater was named after it in 1958
as honor of their legacy. So it's a really important distinction in terms of being a historic theater,
a legacy theater that is protected, it is protected by, you know, historic preservation commission.
So it is truly a great honor to be there at Lundfontan. And by the way, the documentary got some
real heavyweights to appear in their Alan Alda, Jason Alexander. We will always be George
Costanza to me, but he won a Tony award on Broadway. I think Jerome Robbins Broadway. I mean,
Jason Alexander, we think of him as Seinfeld, but he's been in a lot of Broadway plays and musicals,
Carol Channing, another one. Time, yeah, time daily. But we remember her from Cagney and Lacey.
I saw her on Broadway at the St. James Theater in Gypsy years ago. Yeah. Let's see Coleman,
Domingo, Olympia Ducakis, Barry Edelstein, Joel Gregg. I had to interview him on the radio once.
He was in a movie, but I said to him, you know, I was backstage when you were in George M.
at the Palace Theater. My father was checking some plumbing at the theater. And I said,
I saw you running back and forth. He didn't seem to care. But, you know, it was big to me.
Let's see here. I was going to interrupt you because, you know, you're going over the names
which is great to talk about those names and lecture names. But there's also people that are
still living today that are doing great work and a young people. For example, Coleman Domingo,
who was in Fellemont. He was in Butler. He was, he's a many, many great movies, but also
many great places in Scottsboro Boys. Along with that, you have Sharon Lawrence,
who is an amazing actress. And she's a many, many great movies as well as plays.
And, but I love the fact that at the premiere, you had Tyne Daly. You had Alfred Molina.
You had David Hype Tears, who you remember from. Tears. And Frazier Tears. And Frazier.
Yeah. And then, and you had Steve McKinley-Hinderson, who was just an outstanding actor.
Not only has he done the August Wilson Trilogy, but he's on, he's doing a series right now on Netflix
with Ted Dazon. I think I forgot the other name of it. But there's my point is that all these
actors were there along with the great Broadway. And so, this premiere was so important that you
had the theater owners that were there. You had tubers there. You had, you had directors, playwrights,
excuse me, agent. It was just really a wonderful, energized event. And it was something that will
be proud of for many, I would say, even for the full century. It was really that powerful.
That's a testament to Alfred Launt and Lynn Fontaine, because I mean, look who they brought out
to the premiere of their documentary. I mean, that's really, that's Broadway's legends.
And the legends that are currently here right now too. Okay, I know you're standing in the middle
of the freeway, dodging traffic. Cars are going all over, looking not to hit you. So, I know you're
going back to New York soon. And I want you to have a safe trip. And as soon as you find out,
who's releasing the documentary into where? You let me know first. We'll get it on the radio.
And if anybody missed any of our conversation with Randy Bryant, who's the president CEO of TenChimney's
Foundation, you can hear the podcast. We'll probably have it on late tonight, early tomorrow morning
at wrjn.com and wherever you get your podcasts. And also check out TenChimney's online because you
got to take a tour of this place. The dosons give a great tour of TenChimney's. It's a lot of
walking, but it's a biggest state that's when you get when you get a biggest state.
Hey, Randy, be careful driving and we'll talk to you soon. Thanks for sharing some time with us
this morning. I do appreciate it, my friend.