City Theater (Biddeford, Maine) facts for kids
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City Theater
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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City Hall complex containing the theater
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 205 Main St., Biddeford, Maine |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1895 |
| Architect | John Calvin Stevens |
| Part of | Biddeford Main Street Historic District (ID09001146) |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000156 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | April 24, 1973 |
| Designated CP | December 24, 2009 |
The Biddeford City Theater is a historic and beautiful opera house located at 205 Main Street in Biddeford, Maine. It has nearly 500 seats and hosts shows all year long. This amazing theater is a non-profit group run mostly by volunteers. They put on plays, musicals, concerts, movies, and comedy shows. People from all over New England come to enjoy the performances. The main goal of City Theater is to help people love the performing arts. They do this by finding creative ways to get the community involved.
City Theater is part of the Biddeford City Hall complex. This building was designed by a famous Maine architect named John Calvin Stevens in 1895. The entire building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is a very important historic site. It also helps make up the Biddeford Main Street Historic District.
Contents
The Theater's Exciting History
How Biddeford's First Theater Began
In the late 1840s, the city of Biddeford bought some land. It was at the corner of Adams and Main Streets. They planned to build a new city hall there. This building would also have the city's first opera house. The original opera house opened in October 1860. Its first play was about life in the Southern states. This was just before the American Civil War began. From that moment, a long history of theater started in Biddeford. Famous actors like Edwin Booth and Joseph Jefferson performed there. Audiences loved watching them.
The Fire and Rebuilding the Grand Theater
On December 30, 1894, a huge fire destroyed the entire city building. The city council met quickly on January 2, 1895. They had a big debate about whether to rebuild the opera house. Many people wanted it back. In the end, they decided to build a new, bigger, and stronger theater. John Calvin Stevens, a very famous architect from Maine, designed it. He created a richly decorated opera house. It was built in the colonial revival style. It even had a dramatic horseshoe-shaped balcony. A large, fancy brass chandelier with glass shades lit up the beautiful stenciled ceilings. The new opera house opened on January 20, 1896. It quickly became a main cultural spot in York County.
Vaudeville Shows and a Famous Ghost Story
Vaudeville shows were very popular with audiences. Biddeford was an important stop for these traveling acts. Vaudeville included many different performances. There were dramatic plays by stars like the Barrymores. There were also minstrel shows and community pageants. J. J. Salvas, a local director and actor, often entertained big crowds. He was known for playing many different characters. People also loved illustrated songs.
One performance, however, ended sadly. It is still part of City Theater's stories. On Halloween Eve in 1904, a singer named Eva Gray collapsed. This happened after her third encore of the song Goodbye, Little Girl, Goodbye. Her 3-year-old daughter was there. The beautiful 33-year-old died backstage from heart failure. Many people since then have called Eva the Theater's "ghost."
From Live Shows to Movies
Soon, movies started to become very popular. When "talkies" (movies with sound) arrived in 1928, live theater almost disappeared. The opera house became a movie theater in the 1930s. The grand days of vaudeville were mostly over. Sometimes, a live act would still perform between films.
In 1955, the building was renamed City Theater. They started making improvements inside. The lobby and staircase were paneled. New poster display cases were built. A projection booth and a permanent cinemascope screen were also added.
The Theater Closes and Reopens
The change from an opera house to a movie theater was not easy. Television and drive-in movies became more popular. They won the battle against indoor movie houses. In 1965, City Theater closed its doors. From 1971 to 1974, it was even used as a storage place for the city. But in 1973, City Theater was recognized as a Historical Landmark. This was because it was part of Biddeford City Hall.
Despite being a landmark, in 1975, a pile of sand was dumped inside the old theater. The orchestra pit was turned into a horseshoe pit!
However, not everyone thought the Theater should stay closed. In 1977, a new group called City Theater Associates started. They wanted to reopen City Theater. With lots of hard work from community volunteers, the Theater reopened in 1978. The Norman Luboff Choir, famous around the world, performed. The Theater got a fresh look, but it still needed many important upgrades.
The public supported City Theater. More and more people came to see plays, musicals, concerts, and dance shows. Community events also returned to the stage.
Modern Updates and Future Plans
In 1996, the Theater celebrated its 100th anniversary. The city of Biddeford gave it a gift of new seats. Soon, money from federal, state, city, and private sources helped with restoration. A new marquee was added outside. The beautiful stenciling on the lobby walls, house walls, and ceiling was restored. The Theater also got modern updates. These included new lighting and sound systems. A digital projector and a new heating and air conditioning system were installed. Old buildings always need care. So, upgrades continue today. They are working on the stage floor, costume room, and public restrooms. They are also fixing the outside brickwork. Plus, they are upgrading the fly system. This system uses pulleys to move scenery above the stage. Many of its parts are still original!
City Theater continues its goal of helping people love the performing arts. Besides its five main stage shows, it has added more events. It works with other groups to bring music, comedy, and dance to the stage.
City Theater Today
Today, Biddeford City Theater offers a full year of performances. You can enjoy theater, music, comedy, and many other artistic shows there.
See also
