Carolina Theatre of Greensboro facts for kids
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The Showplace of the Carolinas
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The Carolina Theatre in daylight
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| Address | 310 South Greene Street |
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| Location | Greensboro, North Carolina, US |
| Owner | Carolina Theatre of Greensboro, Inc. |
| Type | Performing-arts center |
| Capacity | 1,101 |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1920s |
| Opened | October 31, 1927 |
| Renovated | 1978, 1990, 2018 |
| Website | |
| carolinatheatre.com | |
The Carolina Theatre of Greensboro is a special historic theater located in Greensboro, North Carolina. When it first opened on Halloween night in 1927, people called it “The Showplace of the Carolinas.” It was a very grand building, costing over $500,000 to build. It was also one of the first buildings in North Carolina to have air conditioning!
Contents
A Look Back: The Theater's Early Days
When the Carolina Theatre first opened, it offered many kinds of entertainment.
- People could watch live performances.
- The Carolina Theatre Orchestra played music.
- They showed "Carolina News" newsreels.
- Audiences would sing along to songs.
- Silent films were shown with music played on a special theatre organ.
The Arrival of "Talkies"
In 1928, the theater got a new sound system called Vitaphone. This meant movies could now have sound! These new "talkies" were very popular. The first movie with sound shown at the Carolina Theatre was Glorious Betsy in 1928. After that, they showed The Jazz Singer, which was also a big hit.
Changes Over Time: Making the Theater Fair for Everyone
When the theater was first built, it had separate sections for different groups of people. Black patrons had to use a separate entrance and could only sit in the balcony. This separation, called segregation, continued for many years.
A Stand for Equality
By May 1963, the theater was still segregated. On May 15, 1963, students from North Carolina A&T University and Bennett College protested. They blocked the theater's entrance because they were not allowed to enter with everyone else. Their actions helped bring about change.
Saving the Showplace: A Community Effort
By the early 1970s, the theater was not doing well. Its owner planned to tear it down. But the United Arts Council of Greensboro stepped in to save it! They raised $550,000 to buy the building.
Reopening and Renovations
The United Arts Council fixed up the theater. It reopened in 1978 as a community center for performing arts. In 1981, a fire caused some damage, so the theater needed more repairs. The balcony was closed for a while. Later, new lighting and sound systems were added. Today, the theater has 1,101 seats.
The Carolina Theatre Today
The Carolina Theatre is now owned and run by a nonprofit group called Carolina Theatre of Greensboro, Incorporated. This means it's a group that works for the community, not for profit. Brian Gray is the current Executive Director.
What Happens at the Theater Now?
The theater is a busy place!
- It is home to the Greensboro Ballet.
- The Community Theatre of Greensboro puts on its annual show of The Wizard of Oz every November.
- The theater shows classic and artistic movies.
- It hosts touring performers and companies.
- Local theater and dance groups perform there.
- Other nonprofit groups and businesses use the space too.
The theater mostly pays for itself through ticket sales and donations from people. It also gets some public grants for repairs and upkeep. The Carolina Theatre is part of important groups like the League of Historic American Theatres.
Recent Improvements
In 2017, a plan was announced to raise $2.5 million for more renovations. These improvements were finished in October 2018, making the theater even better for everyone to enjoy.
