F. M. Kirby Center facts for kids
Exterior of venue, c. 2011
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| Full name | F. M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts |
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| Former names | Comerford Theatre (1938–49) Paramount Theatre (1949–86) |
| Address | 71 Public Square Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701-2507 |
| Location | Wyoming Valley |
| Capacity | 1,832 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | August 18, 1938 |
| Architect | Charles A. Ryan |
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Comerford Theater
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| Architectural style | Moderne Deco, "Depression moderne" |
| NRHP reference No. | 80003564 |
| Added to NRHP | December 3, 1980 |
The F. M. Kirby Center is a cool, historic building in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. It used to be called the Comerford Theatre and later the Paramount Theatre. This awesome place is built in a style called Art Deco-Moderne, which was popular in the 1930s. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 because it's so important to history. Today, it's a busy spot for concerts and shows!
Contents
History of the Kirby Center
Building the Comerford Theatre
The Comerford Theater was built in 1937. It was designed in the Art Deco-Moderne style. This style uses sleek lines and geometric shapes. The building is on Public Square in Wilkes-Barre. It has a unique, uneven shape.
The theater is made of steel and brick. Its front has a cool look with terra cotta and marble. You can see a special design that looks like a ziggurat, which is a step pyramid. There's also a tall tower and a bright marquee sign. This sign is where movie titles and show times were displayed.
Michael Comerford's Vision
The theater was created by Michael E. Comerford. He owned a company called Comerford Theaters Inc. Mr. Comerford was a big name in the movie business. He even helped start the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America.
At its best, Comerford Theaters Inc. ran over 80 movie theaters. These theaters were in Northeastern Pennsylvania and Upstate New York. After a successful theater in Scranton, Comerford decided to build a new one in Wilkes-Barre.
Grand Opening and Early Years
Construction on the Wilkes-Barre theater started in 1937. Charles A. Ryan was the architect who designed it. The theater opened its doors on August 18, 1938. The very first movie shown was Alexander's Ragtime Band.
When it first opened, the theater was huge! It could seat 2,047 people. Imagine watching a movie with that many friends!
Becoming the Paramount Theatre
In 1949, some new laws changed who could own movie theaters. Because of these laws, the theater's ownership changed. It was sold to the Penn Paramount Company.
The theater closed for a short time for repairs. Then, it reopened on September 2, 1949. It was given a new name: the Paramount Theatre. It kept showing movies and hosting events until the early 1970s.
Challenges and Closure
The theater faced tough times in the 1970s. Attendance dropped after a big flood caused by Hurricane Agnes. The theater stopped regular operations in 1977. This happened after a new owner bought the property.
Even though it was mostly closed, the theater was sometimes used. It hosted concerts and even boxing matches. Local businesses wanted to save the old building. They formed a group called "Save the Old Paramount" (S.T.O.P.). A few years later, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This helped protect its future.
Rebirth as the Kirby Center
For most of the 1980s, the theater was empty. It needed a lot of repairs to bring it back to life. In 1985, three important people stepped in. They were Albert Boscov, August L. Simms, and Fred M. Kirby II. They raised $3.3 million to fix up the theater.
Work on the building began on December 21, 1985. It was a huge project to restore the old theater. The grand reopening happened on September 19, 1986. The theater was renamed the F. M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts. It was named after Fred Morgan Kirby, who helped make the restoration possible. Today, it continues to be a popular place for live performances and events.
