TheatreLinks

U.S. Theatres [ OH - WY ]

Ohio

Civic [Loews] Theatre (Akron OH)
http://www.akroncivic.com/
Nice site with a short history section.

Highland Theatre (Akron OH)
http://www.highlandtheater.com

Holland Theater (Bellefontaine OH)
http://www.thehollandtheatre.org/< BR> "Charming!," "Darling!," "Adorable!" Just a few of the common exclamations heard in describing the truly one of a kind Dutch atmospheric that was once part of the Schine Chain. Architect Peter Hulskin designed the interior after his own boyhood village and registered a copyright on the whole design so it could not be reproduced elsewhere without his knowledge. The local citizens who make up the preservation team are among the most dedicated and talented around.

Cla-Zel Theater (Bowling Green OH)
http://www.cla-zel.com
No historical information, but the graphics on this site are very well done. Two nice shots of their neon-heavy marquee. Hopefully the owners can be persuaded to add some background on what looks to be a great old house.

Palace Theatre (Canton OH)
http://www.cantonpalacetheatre.org
Picture and great history of the theatre and original Kilgen organ. A nice flashback for our 2000 Conclave travelers!

Cedarville Opera House (Cedarville OH)
http://www.cedarvilleohio.net/CedarvilleOperaHouse.htm

Allen Theater (Cleveland OH)
http://www.playhousesquare.org
Now fully restored to its 20s splendor and one of the prime components of Cleveland's famed Playhouse Square, the Allen is primarily used as a venue for touring Broadway shows and other live acts requiring a large stage. A photo gallery is planned.

Playhouse Square Center (Cleveland OH)
http://www.playhousesquare.com
Nicely done site, includes photos of renovations in progress to this 1921 Howard Crane theatre.

Esquire Theatre (Clifton OH)
http://www.esquiretheatre.com

Ohio Theatre
Palace Theatre
Southern Theatre (all Columbus OH)
http://www.capa.com/venues.html
Brief history and one interior photo of first two (both 1927, Thomas Lamb); more detailed history and photographs of the century-old Southern, now being restored.

Strand Theatre (Delaware OH)
http://www.thestrandtheatre.net
While this site functions mainly as an information vehicle for shows and showtimes of this functioning theater, Director Kara McVay also includes various photos of the theater under the "Picture Gallery" link. There is very little by way of history of this former Schine Theater, but the site is still a work in progress.

Ariel Theatre (Gallipolis OH)
http://www.angelfire.com/realm/theater/Ariel/ariel.htm

Hayseville Opera House (Hayseville OH)
http://www.bright.net/~opera/hayesville/
Good history section and photos:

Palace Theatre (Lorain OH)
http://www.centurytel.net/palace/

Ohio Theatre (Loudonville OH)
http://www.ohiotheatre.org/
Good history section and photos:

Renaissance Theatre (Mansfield OH)
http://www.rparts.org/flash/renaissance.html

Colony Theatre (Marietta OH)
http://www.colonytheatre.com
Marietta is trying to save and restore this theater, and have created this wonderful site to generate interest (and hopefully support). It has video, a virtual tour, photos, history, and even an on-line gift shop. What more could you ask for in a web site?

Palace Theater (Marion OH)
http://www.marionpalace.org
Built in 1928 and renovated in 1976, this atmospheric theater surrounds the audience with a Moorish architectural courtyard and the feeling of being entertained under twinkling stars and circulating clouds at dusk. The Palace is one of only 18 Eberson atmospheric theaters left in the world, and it is an attraction that should not be missed. Small photo gallery.

Lincoln Theatre (Massillon OH)
http://www.massillongateway.com/lincolntheatre.html

Woodward Opera House (Mt. Vernon OH)
http://www.thewoodward.org
Built in 1851, the Woodward is believed to be "America's oldest authentic theater" and was recently profiled in Preservation, the magazine of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Stuart's Opera House (Nelsonville OH)
http://www.stuartsoperahouse.org/

Pemberville Opera House (Pemberville OH)
http://www.geocities.com/pembervilleoh/opera.html

State Theatre (Sandusky OH)
http://www.state-theatre.com

Ritz Theatre (Tiffin OH)
http://www.ritztheatre.org/

Louvee Theatre (Wellston OH)
http://www.classictheatres.com
The Louvee was recently purchased by Classic Theatres, Inc. The theatre has been in continuous operation since it opened in 1937, but was only open part time in the last few years. Much of the original art deco decor was lost in this time. The new owners are restoring the theatre and have returned to running first run movies seven days a week. A nice looking site with some fine photos in the history page.

Murphy Theatre (Wilmington OH)
http://www.murphytheatre.com

Edward W. Powers Auditorium (Youngstown OH)
http://www.youngstownsymphony.com/symphony_center.html

Oklahoma

Coleman Theatre (Miami OK)
http://www.colemantheatre.org
There's as much about the Wurlitzer organ as the theatre (Boller Brothers, 1929); it also has some interesting history and photos.

Poncan Theatre (Ponca City OK)
http://www.poncantheatre.org
A Boller Brothers atmospheric gem! Excellent site graphics and wonderful photos.

And a second link for this theatre:
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs.cmu.edu/user/cburch/www/ponca/places/poncan.html
With good history and one photo of the 1927 theatre.

Oregon

Venetian Theater (Albany OR)
http://www.venetiantheater.com/

Liberty Theater (Astoria OR)
http://www.liberty-theater.org/pages/755014/index.htm
Not many photos of this 1925 era theater that was restored and reopened in 2002.

Tower Theatre (Bend OR)
http://www.towertheatre.org/.docs/pg/index.html

Egyptian Theater (Coos Bay OR)
http://www.egyptian-theatre.com
Built in 1925, the classic Egyptian Theatre still has its original 10-rank Wurlitzer organ and all of its original Vaudeville backdrops and working stage. A few photos and a history of the theater.

Majestic Theatre (Corvallis OR)
http://www.majestic.org

Whiteside Theatre Foundation (Corvallis OR)
http://www.whitesidefriends.org/
The Whiteside Theatre Foundation supports a multi-purpose entertainment and events venue in the restored historic Whiteside Theatre that enhances economic vitality and cultural diversity of downtown Corvallis for the benefit of the entire community.

Fox Theatre (Dallas OR)
http://hometown.aol.com/foxinc/index.html

Bijou Theatre (Lincoln City OR)
http://www.lincolncity.com/bijou/

Cameo Theatre (Newberg OR)
http://www.driveintheatre.com/99widx.htm

Aladdin Theater (Portland OR)
http://www.aladdin-theater.com/index.html
Now a Music Hall.

Bagdad Theatre (Portland OR)
http://www.mcmenamins.com/Edge/thsched.html

Cinema 21 (Portland OR)
http://www.cinema21.com/

Cinemagic (Portland OR)
http://portland.citysearch.com/review/8470781/editorial
The first name in East Indian action flicks.

Hollywood Theatre (Portland OR)
http://www.hollywoodtheatre.org/
A theater seen on our 2001 Conclave - Good photos and narrative on this 1926 Byzantine Rococo. It must have been quite a sight in the still-rural town!

Elsinore Theatre (Salem OR)
http://www.elsinoretheatre.com/

Star Cinema (Stayton OR)
http://www.starcinema.net/
The current "Star Theater" was built in 1949, but traces its roots all the way back to 1912. Interesting to read the history and see the old photos. Typical small town theater lives again.

Granada Theatre (The Dalles OR)
http://www.thegranada.org

Pennsylvania

Mishler Theatre (Altoona PA)
http://www.altoonasymphony.org/theatre.asp
On February 15, 1906, the magnificent Mishler Theatre opened. Now 100 years later, it is the home of the Altoona Symphony Orchestra.

Garman Opera House Movie Theatre (Bellefonte PA)
http://www.garmanoperahouse.com/
Serving the community since 1890, the Garman Opera House has had its ups and downs, but is currently a 335 seat movie house with a restaurant downstairs.

Boyd Theatre (Bethlehem PA)
http://www.theboyd.com/
Brief history of the 1921 Kurtz/Colonial/now Boyd Theatre, but no photos.

Capitol Theatre (Chambersburg PA)
http://www.thecapitoltheatre.org
This 1927 theatre presents many of its own Capitol Theatre performances and concerts each year, as well as being the home for productions by the resident theatrical company, the Chambersburg Community Theatre.

Grand Theater (East Greenville PA)
http://www.thegrandtheater.org/
The Grand Theater opened October 4, 1924 and closed in March of 2004. In August 2004, there were new owners who set about to restore the theatre. The auditorium's original tin ceilings were reproduced, and the wood was restored. In the lobby, more tin was found behind the dropped ceiling. The theatre, now known as the Grand Theater again, has been restored to its 1924 appearance and reopened July 29, 2005.

State Theatre (Easton PA)
http://www.statetheatre.org/
No history but a virtual tour and some great shots under "points of view."

Warner Theatre (Erie PA)
http://www.erieciviccenter.com/warner.htm
Photos and information and links to many other theatres.

Majestic Theater (Gettysburg PA)
http://www.gettysburgmajestic.org/home/index.dot
Very short history, no photos, but you may take the "virtual tour."

Palace Theatre (Greensburg PA)
http://www.thepalacetheatre.org/
Three pictures (one hidden in box office) and a little history.

Hanover Theater (Hanover PA)
http://www.hanovertheater.info
Originally opened as the State Theater in 1928 it closed in 1986 and became an antique store. Now a private group has purchased it and plans to restore and re-open it in 2008.

Hershey Theatre (Hershey PA)
http://www.hersheyarchives.org/part1/hertheatre/hertha.html
"The Hershey Community Building and Theatre, originally planned for construction in 1916, would not be constructed until 1929 during the Great Depression as part of Hershey's great building campaign." A couple of fine old photos and a detailed history.

Embassy Theatre (Lewistown PA)
http://www.embassytheatre.org
and
http://www.embassytheatre.com
"The Embassy Restoration Project is more than just trying to recapture a memory, it is a commitment to our future and to our children." Isn't that what we all strive for in THSA? Clean, easy to follow sites, both still under construction.

Media Theatre (Media PA)
http://www.mediatheatre.com/index.ht m
Really short (one paragraph) history and one nice photo of the house.

Elks Theater (Middleton PA)
http://www.elkstheatremiddletown.com
THSA member Jonathan Crist also has a theater "just down the road a piece" from the Roxy. The site is still under development, but includes a detailed history page. Take a look and e-mail Jonathan with your suggestions for completing his emerging site.

West Shore Theatre (New Cumberland PA)
http://www.westshoretheatre.com
A wonderful 1940 art deco theater that still enjoys success today! Great vintage photos and history.

Newtown Theatre (Newtown PA)
http://www.newtowntheatre.com/
This is a great little theater, although the site isn't much and their history section is a little thin.

Roxy Theater (Northampton PA)
http://www.roxytheaternorthampton.com
My favorite theater mogul, Richard Wolfe, has finally put together a site celebrating the long, wonderful saga of his Roxy Theater. Lovely graphics and photos, with a page dedicated to the Roxy's charming theater organ. If you aren't lucky enough to be able to visit the Roxy in person, this site will make you feel as if you've been there.

Devon Theater for the Performing Arts (Philadelphia PA)
http://www.devontheater.org/
This nearly 800 seat movie house was designed in late Streamline Moderne style by the firm of Thalheimer & Weitz. It opened in 1946.

Sam Eric/Boyd Theatre (Philadelphia PA) http://www.SaveTheSameric.org
Read all about it! The fight goes on, the stakes are high. Help if you can! Anyone connected with the historic theater restoration scene has heard much about the Sam Eric/Boyd situation in Philadelphia. THS member Howard Haas and company have waged a valiant fight to save a theater that had been called "Philadelphia's last movie palace". The following link will bring you up to date on this important theater project. Be sure to visit the photo gallery, scroll down to the new photos marked Lobby Niche to Balcony Chair. The balcony chair is an original 1928 chair found upstairs.

Colonial Theatre (Phoenixville PA)
http://www.thecolonialtheatre.com/
At one time Phoenixville had three downtown theaters – now they are lucky to have one – the Colonial. Read the history of this 1903 theater, and its roller coaster ride from success, to desperation, to rebirth.

Benedum Center (Pittsburgh PA)
http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/usr/cd9p/abtben.html
Built as the 2,885 seat Stanley in 1928. Unfortunately has only one photo and no history.

Heinz Hall/Loew's Penn (Pittsburgh PA)
http://www.pittsburghsymphony.org/pghsymph.nsf/web/heinz.html
Part of the general Pittsburgh Symphony site, this page links to a nice history section and one vintage photo.

Early Theater History (Scranton/Pocono region PA)
http://www.microserve.net/~magicusa/theater.html
A site dedicated to theater history in the Scranton, Wilkes Barre region of PA. A great narrative with good photos. Also contains some interesting Houdini links, as there is a museum dedicated to the master magician in this area.

Columbia Theatre (Sharon PA)
http://www.merlink.org/organize/columbia
A super history page detailing the great resiliency of the Columbia, with great photos.

Montgomery Theater (Souderton PA)
http://montgomerytheater.org/index.html
The structure that houses Montgomery Theater in Southeastern Pennsylvania was once the old Souderton firehouse. The main floor of the structure, the original engine room, was renovated into a new 122-seat theatre.

Struthers Library Theatre (Warren PA)
http://www.strutherslibrarytheatre.com/
“Built in 1883, the Struthers Library Theatre is the 18th oldest continuously operating legitimate theatre in the United States, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. One of the most stunning historic theatres in Northwest Pennsylvania, the Struthers Library Theatre graces the corner of Liberty Street and Third Avenue West in the heart of Warren’s Historic District.”

Watson Theatre (Watsontown PA)
http://www.watsontheatre.com
A restored 1940 movie theater that is thriving. Three cheers (and whistles) for the Whistler family, who own and operate it. When you're in Watsontown, drop by for a visit.

Comerford Theatre [now F.M. Kirby Center] (Wilkes Barre PA)
http://www.mindspring.com/~martinmc/reviews/comerford.html
Interesting history on the theatre which is now operating as the F.M. Kirby Center. Features photos and an article from a 1945 Showmen's Trade Review.

Strand-Capitol Theatres (York PA)
http://www.strandcapitol.org
Located on the corner of George and Philadelphia Streets in downtown York, the Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center serves as a leading arts presenter in south central Pennsylvania. The complex includes two historic theatres -- the Capitol Theatre built in 1906 and the Strand Theatre which opened in 1925 primarily for vaudeville and silent film. Includes a nice color photo gallery.

Strand Theater (Zelienople PA)
http://www.thestrandtheater.org
A restoration project in its very earliest stages. The determined board makes their case for saving this 1920s theater with strong photos and a solid plan.

Rhode Island

Strand/Jane Pickens Theater (Newport RI)
http://www.janepickens.com
The historic theater building was built in Washington Square in 1834 as the Zion Episcopal Church. One of Newport's first Greek Revival buildings, it was designed by the well known architect Russell Warren and built by William Weeden, a carpenter-builder. This beautiful building became a theater in 1923 known as The Strand and was renamed The Jane Pickens thirty years ago by the former owner Joe Jarvis.

Avon Theatre (Providence RI)
http://www.avoncinema.com/
Modern site with no mention made of theater's history, other than it was a movie house from 1938.

Columbus Theatre (Providence RI)
http://www.columbustheatre.com/
Modern site, hinting at history, but not delivering it.

Providence Performing Arts Center (Providence RI)
http://www.ppacri.org/historyinfo/index.cfm
This 1928 Rapp and Rapp theater, built for Loew's, escaped demolition in the 1970s, and was beautifully restored from 1999 to 2004. Now serving Providence as its performing arts center. Take the "virtual tour" of this beautiful theater. Downloading takes some time, but it's worth it. Use the arrow keys to turn 360 degrees.

Stadium Theatre (Woonsocket RI)
http://www.stadiumtheatre.com
This link will take you to the new site which is under construction, but has a direct link to the old site. Either way, you are in for a treat!

South Carolina

Abbeville Opera House (Abbeville SC)
http://www.old96.org/pg2.htm
To go to site, click on "Points of Interest." One photo, very brief history. But since there are so few sites out there for the opera house buffs among us, it's worth a look.

Fox Theatre (Columbia SC)
http://www.nickelodeon.org/fox.php
Opened as the State Theatre on July 2, 1936. The Fox is the last remaining theatre building in downtown Columbia. Recently purchased by the Columbia Film Society in hopes that it will become the Nickelodeon Theatre.

Newberry Opera House (Newberry SC)
http://www.newberryoperahouse.com
The $6 Million restoration married historical accuracy with a state-of-the-art performance space ideal for internationally recognized performers and the regional audiences they will attract. The site features a short history page, with before and after restoration photos.

Tennessee

Paramount Theatre (Bristol TN)
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/users/landrum/mtempire/Paramount.html
A simple site with 6 photos and a short description.

Palace Theater (Crossville TN)
http://www.crosswinds.net/~palacetheater/MainPage.html
A darling little theater, resurrected, and now playing as the pride and joy of the towns people! Lots of photos, good theater history with vintage photos and a nice musical accompaniment on each page.

Tennessee Theater (Knoxville TN)
http://www.tennesseetheatre.com
Site suggested by Marquee Editor Steve Levin, who writes, "Chicago architects Graven & Mayger designed a pair of Spanish-Moorish theatres for Paramount-Publix: this and the Alabama, Birmingham. Their common origin is obvious, but they share few details in common and are actually quite different." An exceptionally well done site, making use of state-of-the-art technology to create a virtual tour of "Knoxville's Grand Entertainment Palace". Excellent personal histories, lush photographs, a brief history, a page of facts, calendar, seating chart, and notes on a contemplated renovation. Very comprehensive page dedicated to their restored WurliTzer as well. Everyone hates pop-up boxes, but don't automatically close the ones on this site. They actually have vintage photos in them, not ads! An all around top-notch site!

This is what every theater site on the World Wide Web should be! An excellent use of technology brings the history and future of this magnificent theater to life. For those of you who have Flash on your computer, click on the HISTORY link. Here you can take a virtual tour of the theater. Click on the lobby picture and hold the 'clicker' down. As you move your mouse, your perspective changes so you can virtually view the whole lobby, ceiling to floor and all four magnificent walls! You can get the exact same perspective as you would get if you were standing in the lobby, gawking at the ornamentation! A super visual!

Orpheum Theater (Memphis TN)
http://www.orpheum-memphis.com
An ornate site, befitting the dazzling theater itself. My temperamental, aging computer was unable to download the free "plug-in" to take the virtual tour, but you may have better luck. One great feature of the site is the ability to click on an auditorium grid and see a photo of the sight line from that particular section.

Texas

Paramount Theatre (Abilene TX)
http://www.paramount-abilene.org/index.html
Bringing new meaning to "eclectic", this atmospheric Pueblo-deco-Moorish palace can't quite make up its mind which road to follow, and aren't we lucky! Nice site layout.

Paramount Theater and State Theater Company (Austin TX)
http://www.austintheatre.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Home
Built in 1915 as the Majestic, the Paramount is a classic vaudeville house that has continued showing everything from traveling stage shows to classic films. A new marquee has been added recently. The State was built in 1935 and was the first theatre in Austin built specifically to show motion pictures. Plans are being made to bring the State back to life. Two 360 degree views of the Paramount.

and another...
http://www.pswtech.com/arts/paramount/
Several pictures and some history of this early (1915) non-atmospheric work by John Eberson.

Rialto Theatre (Beeville TX)
http://www.rialtotheater.net/
This theatre was originally built in 1922 but when it was rebuilt after a fire in 1936, it featured an art deco interior by John Eberson. The site features a history, an extensive report on restoration and lots of pictures, particularly of that interior.

Capitol Theater (Brownsville TX)
http://www.brosociety.org/capitol/capitol.htm
The Brownsville Society for the Performing Arts is leading the effort to restore the Capitol Theatre in Brownsville's Historic Downtown District. Some nice historic photos enliven the site.

Palace Theater (Corsicana TX)
http://www.corsicanapalace.com/
Restored 1921 vaudeville theater. Very little history, but a few old photos in the "Gallery."

Texas Theatre (Dallas TX)
http://www.texas-theatre.org
Although notorious for one day in November, this ornate little theater was designed as an Eberson-inspired Italianate garden atmospheric and sported a fabulous marquee in its heyday. This site contains some excellent then-and-now photos, and details the plan of action to return this theater to its intended purpose.

Majestic (Eastland TX)
http://www.eastlandfoundation.com/majestic.html
Built in 1920 as the Connollee (named after one of Eastland's founding fathers), this small theater featured silent films and stage shows, as well as beauty contests and the occasional opera. A group of Eastland citizens got together in 1987 to renovate the theater as the town's civic center. It reopened later that year, looking much as did in 1947. It now features a varied mix of first run and classic films, concerts, and stage shows, as well as hosting meetings in its auditorium. No photos.

Plaza Theater (El Paso TX)
http://www.plazatheater.org
A palatial 1929 palace, the Plaza theater is an on-going restoration project. The site is loaded with gorgeous pictures, all in thumbnail size for quick loading. You'll want to click on each and every one! Also includes a page dedicated solely to the theater's magnificent WurliTzer, complete with video clips to download.

1894 Grand Opera House (Galveston TX)
http://www.thegrand.com/

San Antonio Theaters: Now & Then
http://www.satheatres.com
This site is truly a wonder to behold. At a staggering 130 pages, it gives "a visual, sound and text trip through a hundred-year history of San Antonio’s silent theatres, movie palaces, neighborhood hangouts, drive-ins and the current multiplexes scattered throughout the city." Gary Yantis has done a phenomenal job in putting it all together.

Aztec Theatre (San Antonio TX)
http://www.aztecontheriver.com/home.htm
This 1926 theater is being meticulously restored, and will open next month. Enjoy many pages of restoration photos, a Powerpoint presentation and more. Great site and great job bringing this beautiful theater back to life.

Perot Theatre (Texarkana TX)
http://www.trahc.org/perot.htm
A Texarkana landmark since 1924, the theater was fully (and beautifully) restored in 1980 with funds donated by H. Ross Perot in memory of his parents. Considering this is merely a page on a larger site, the history and photographs are very detailed and easy to navigate. Well worth the look!

Waco Hippodrome (Waco TX)
http://www.wacohippodrome.com
Another plucky little theater with an all-star cast of hard working volunteers and members.

Utah

Utah Theaters
http://www.utahtheaters.info
Provides links to theater showtimes, news articles and websites for Utah Theaters. The work is done by unpaid volunteers. Now includes link to the Villa Theater.

Egyptian Theatre (Ogden UT)
http://egyptiantheatrefoundation.org
Built in 1924, Peery's Egyptian Theatre was constructed to give the audience the feeling of sitting between two Egyptian buildings with a blue plaster ceiling which, in the early days, had projected dawns, sunsets and night sky images. The theatre has been restored to all of its original beauty. The site contains some nice historic photos.

Capitol Theater (Salt Lake City UT)
http://www.slco.org/fi/facilities/capitol/capitol.html
This historic 1913 landmark is the home of Ballet West, Utah Opera, and Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company. The theatre also hosts world class Broadway productions and community arts education programs.

Villa Theatre (Salt Lake City UT)
http://www.villatheatre.com
Great vintage photos and information on this unique theater.

Vermont

Barre Opera House (Barre VT)
http://www.barreoperahouse.org
A small town 1899 opera house, closed in 1944, reopened in 1982 and currently continuing to be restored. Congratulations Barre Vermont! Nice history with a few photos. Hopefully more to come.

Paramount Theatre (Rutland VT)
http://www.rutlandherald.com/paramount/index.html
Good history section and photos:

Virginia

Lyric Theatre (Blacksburg VA)
http://www.montgomery-floyd.lib.va.us/pub/compages/lyric/index.html
A complete tour of the Lyric, from upcoming events to recent renovation projects to contribution opportunities.

Paramount Theater (Charlottesville VA)
http://www.theparamount.net
Restored to its former glory, The Paramount Theater opened its doors to the public once more on December 15, 2004 -- more than thirty years after it had closed. The theater is again a gathering place for Charlottesville and the region. Three small photos.

State Theater (Culpepper VA)
http://www.culpepertheatre.org/index.asp
The State Theatre was built by State Senator Benjamin Pitts in 1938 as a vaudeville movie house, and was originally named the Pitts Theatre. In February of 2006, it was donated to the State Theatre Foundation, Inc by the owners. In May of 2008, the State Theatre was placed on both the State and National Registers of Historic Places. A few small photos.

State Theatre (Falls Church VA)
http://www.thestatetheatre.com/
A 1936 neighborhood theater fortunate enough to be within the financially rich Beltway region of Washington DC, this theater is alive and well as a concert and live event venue. The history section has several nice vintage photos.

Commodore Theater (Portsmouth VA)
http://www.commodoretheatre.com/history.php
Jim Rankin writes: "Good history section of this 1945 Art Deco show house, but short on photos. The owner there is listed at Cinema Treasures as looking for ushers' uniforms; any who can help him should contact him through his site."

Pulaski Theatre (Pulaski VA)
http://pulaskitheatre.org/index.html
The Pulaski Theatre closed to the public in 1991 and the property began to deteriorate and fall into disrepair. On February 11, 1992 the owners gave the building to the county. The Friends of the Theatre group was incorporated in 1993, and the effort to save the theatre and renovate the building began. Major renovation construction has been completed on the building and the theatre is nearing completion.

Byrd Theatre (Richmond VA)
http://members.tripod.com/~g_cowardin/byrd/index.htm
Well assembled site with great pictures. Of special interest is the photo story on a recent cleaning of their wonderful Grand Chandelier.

The Carpenter Center (Richmond VA)
http://www6.richmond.infi.net/~mwcsnet/ccpa_ext.htm
A wonderful site dedicated to a former Loew's theatre.

Staunton Performing Arts Center (Staunton VA)
http://www.stauntonperformingarts.org
Destroyed in a dramatic January 1936 fire, Warner Bros. commissioned John Eberson to redesign their theater. The results were a stunning mix of Eberson deco and elegance. A nice history page with photos and sketches.

Star Theater (Stuart VA)
http://www.historicstartheatre.com
This historic theater reopened in October, 2005, and features regional dinner theatre, concerts, movies and more.

Wayne Theatre Project (Waynesboro VA)
http://www.waynetheatre.org/welcome.html
The latest information about the restoration of the Wayne Theatre in Waynesboro, Virginia, and the activities of the Wayne Theatre Alliance. Small photo gallery.

Washington

Mount Baker Theatre (Bellingham WA)
http://nwcorner.com/tour/theatre.html
Designed by R.C. Reamer in 1927 for the Fox circuit. One exterior photo and a brief history.

Liberty Theater (Camas WA)
http://www.libertytheater.com
This theater opened as the Granada in 1927. The site only gives a newspaper article reprint under the heading "history."

Fox Theatre (Centralia WA)
http://www.centraliafoxtheatre.com
This single screen theatre opened on September 5, 1930 and closed in 1998. In 2004 The Fox Theatre was sold to the non-profit group Opera Pacfica, which began the process of restoring the theater. It was occasionally used for movie screenings. It was bought back by the city of Centralia in 2007, and restoration work continues. Film performances began in early 2009.

Sunset Theatre (Connell WA)
http://www.sunsettheatre.com/
Thanks to Dirk Reinauer for sending along this site. He and his wife Jeri own the Sunset Theatre in Connell Washington. Click on "Sunset History" and see some great photos of a typical small town theater, still making a go of it after 50 years. Here's to another 50 years Dick and Jeri!

Everett Theatre (Everett WA)
http://www.eskimo.com/~someone/ets.htm l
Some history and a gallery of more than a dozen interesting photos and illustrations of this theatre (1901, rebuilt 1924), now being restored.

7th Street Theater (Hoquiam WA)
http://www.7thstreettheatre.com
Built in 1928, the 7th Street Theatre remains an Spanish-inspired atmospheric treasure. The theater was designed by architect Edwin St. John Griffith in association with Olaf T. Taylor. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987 and is now a live concert venue.

Columbia Theater (Longview WA)
http://www.kalama.com/~ctheatre/
Click the "General" tab for a history of the building and it's renaissance. As their website says "the same community spirit that built the Columbia Theatre in 1924 has restored it to its former glory."

Martin Cinerama Theatre (Seattle WA)
http://members.aol.com/cinerama8/index.cinema.html
John Mills' tribute to this early Cinerama theatre in Seattle. A clever concept, done as an "opening night" tour, complete with music and animated graphics. Great photos and links!

Fifth Avenue Theatre (Seattle WA)
http://www.speakeasy.org/5thavenue/tour/
Well done, attractive history of this unique 1926 theatre; interior photos (one hidden in "tickets" section); interesting "technical specifications" and a seating plan.

And another site:

Fifth Avenue Theater (Seattle WA)
http://www.5thavenuetheatre.org/tour/default.asp
Nice photos and history of this finely restored treasure. A 1926 Asian motif -- a departure from the usual French or Spanish decor -- was designed to compliment Seattle's claim as the "gateway to the Orient."

Paramount Theatre (Seattle WA)
http://www.theparamount.com
A beautifully done site for a beautifully restored 1928 theatre! A must to visit!

Seattle Cinerama (Seattle WA)
http://www.seattlecinerama.com/look1/
Historical information and modern show schedule. Best when viewed with Flash movie viewer installed (free download included at site). Great video graphics and solid history of Cinerama in general and the Seattle theater specifically.

Fox Theater (Spokane WA)
http://www.foxtheaterspokane.com
When it opened in December of 1931, the 2300 seat Fox was the first air conditioned building in Spokane. In addition to live performances, it now hosts everything from sit down dinners to opera. A few historic photos are scattered around the site.

Liberty Theatre (Toppenish WA)
http://www.jomo.net/liberty/index.html
Good history and photos, particularly of the 1915 theatre's on-going restoration work.

Capitol Theatre (Yakima WA)
http://www.capitoltheatre.org
This theater is a survivor! A 1975 fire burnt this wonderful old theater almost to the ground. The ensuing restoration was a triumph of the community! Great photos and a very detailed history.

West Virginia

Ritz Theater (Hinton WV)
www.ritzwv.com
The Ritz is an intimate theatre in a small town in southern West Virginia. The theatre has had several marquees over the years. They anticipate replacing the present marquee with something that resembles the original marquee in the first quarter of 2010 with a grand reopening at that time.

Keith Albee Theatre (Huntington WV)
http://www.ourshowtimes.com/ temp2.html
This theatre (1928, Thomas Lamb) suffered smoke damage earlier this year when a fire broke out in one of the storefronts. Pictures of the cleanup process as well as a few early photos.

Warner Theatre (Morgantown WV)
http://www.thewarnertheatre.com
Built in 1931 by the Warner Brothers, Harry M., Major Albert, and Jack L., at a cost of $400,000, the theatre was constructed with the interests of the guest in mind. Round Table Corporation purchased the theatre in 2004 with the intention of restoring it to its original condition. A few small photos scattered around the site but no gallery.

Smoot Theater (Parkersburg WV)
http://www.artswindow.org/ smoot/smootmn.htm
A darling little 1926 vaudeville theater, the Smoot was saved just days before demolition by an army of dedicated volunteers. Bravo to them!

Alpine Theater (Ripley WV)
http://www.alpinewv.com/index.html
The Alpine theatre was built in 1936 with its first showing on Christmas Day. It has been restored and was reopened in October 2006 for live performances after being closed since 1982. Bare bones site with no photos.

Wisconsin

Wisconsin theatres (WI)
http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/archstories/theaters/index.asp
This Wisconsin Historical Society site divides the history of Wisconsin theatres into time frame chapters with pages devoted to individual theatres, with histories and photos.

Al. Ringling Theater (Baraboo WI)
http://www.baraboo.com/bus/alringling/home.htm
Excellent site! Thorough, informative, very descriptive. Loads almost immediately with text. The photos are very detailed and large, so they take a little while to load. But the site designers have thoughtfully provided a stunning "wallpaper" of a continuous curtain with the Ringling logo. So instead of watching blurry photos emerge, you have the elegant Ringling logo to enjoy.

Rivoli Theater (Cedarburg WI)
http://www.rivoliofcedarburg.com/savetherivoli.html
The Rivoli Theatre opened in 1936 with a plain but attractive white/black Art Deco Vitrolite facade and angular marquee. At some point in the 1970's the facade was altered to the then-trendy "mansard look". Full restoration of the facade came in Summer 2008 and the Rivoli Theatre is now a stunning highlight to behold on Washington Avenue. In late-2005, a preservation group from the Cedarburg community became active in raising funds to restore a 1930's appearance to the building. The work is now complete.

Meyer Theatre (Green Bay WI)
http://www.meyertheatre.org/about/history.html
Short history and virtual tour of this 1930s Fox vaudeville and movie theater, restored and reopened in 2002.

Thrasher's Opera House (Green Lake WI)
http://www.thrashersoperahouse.com/

Kenosha Theatre (Kenosha WI)
http://www.execpc.com/~sponge/
Visually beautiful site with much interesting information on the Kenosha (1926) restoration project and many color photos.

Capitol Civic Centre (Manitowoc WI)
http://www.cccshows.org/html/ccc_history.html
Opulent 1921 vaudeville and movie house, exquisitely renovated and grandly reopened in 1987, now functioning as the city’s performing arts center. Short history but, unfortunately, no photos.

Avalon Theatre (Milwaukee WI)
http://www.theavalontheatre.com/AboutUs.htm
The 1929 Avalon Theatre was purchased by Lee Barczak in the spring of 2005. Plans are currently being developed to renovate the Avalon and the future is bright for this historic theatre.

Big Screen Cinema Guide: Milwaukee Movie History (Milwaukee WI)
http://bigscreen.execpc.com/Widen/MoviePalaces.html
Part of a larger site, it features photos and brief histories of four Milwaukee theatres, as well as some other interesting information.

Pabst Theater (Milwaukee WI)
http://www.pabsttheater.org
There's LOTS happening at the Pabst, and you'll see it all on this well done website. After you have selected the top notch entertainment you want to see, click on the "History" tab for two very well done pages on the building and its architect.

Times Cinema (Milwaukee WI)
http://www.timescinema.com/
This 1935 neighborhood theatre has managed to survive and prosper and celebrate its 70th anniversary! Congratulations to Eric Levin for keeping the Times open. Nice history pages with exterior photos and some old ads.

Temple Theatre (Viroqua WI)
http://www.temple-theatre.com/
A very busy site for a mighty little theater. Lots of great vintage and restoration photos.

Grand Theatre (Wausau WI)
http://www.grandtheater.org/
Great drawing of the facade and detailed history.

Rosebud Cinema Drafthouse (Wauwatosa WI)
http://www. rosebudcinemadrafthouse.com/
Originally built in 1931, this adaptive reuse combines a classic movie theater with the comfort of a living room.

Times Theater (Wauwatosa WI)
http://www.ticon.net/~pcino/index/Page_8.html
A 1935 Trans-Lux (rear projection) Theater. Although this theater's original facade has been pretty much obliterated, the history page features some wonderful old photos and great memorabilia collected by the current owners. Bryan Olsen found this site for us.

Wyoming

Various Wyoming Theaters (WY)
http://www.wyomovies.com
Remember, the multiplexes of today are the historic theaters of tomorrow! Click on "theaters" to see the sort of places our children and grandchildren might be collecting and sending material on to the THS archive.

TOP | HOME