Garden Theatre (Winter Garden, Florida) facts for kids
Garden Theatre, 2007
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| Address | 160 West Plant Street Winter Garden, Florida USA |
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| Operator | Winter Garden Heritage Foundation |
| Construction | |
| Opened | December 1935 |
| Renovated | 2002 |
The Garden Theatre is a beautiful old theatre in Winter Garden, Florida. It's located at 160 West Plant Street. This theatre is a busy place, hosting more than 200 events each year! You can see professional plays, listen to music, watch dance shows, and even enjoy movies here. It's the main spot for performing arts in the Winter Garden area.
History
The Garden Theatre first opened its doors in December 1935. It started as a movie theatre with just one screen. It was special because it was the first theatre in Central Florida built for "talkies" – movies with sound!
Over the years, the theatre was changed a few times. But in 1963, it closed down. This happened because more and more people started watching movies at home on television.
After closing, the building became a store that sold farming supplies. All the seats were taken out, and the sloped floor was filled with cement to make it flat.
In 2002, the City of Winter Garden bought the old theatre building. Then, the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation stepped in. This group is a non-profit organization, which means they work to help the community and don't aim to make money. They began the big job of bringing the theatre back to life.
Theatre Architecture
The Winter Garden Heritage Foundation officially took over the building on January 1, 2004. They worked with the City of Winter Garden to restore it.
The inside of the theatre is very welcoming with warm lights. It has 299 seats. The design is called Mediterranean revival architecture. This means it looks like buildings from places around the Mediterranean Sea. You'll see a Spanish-style tile courtyard and "Romeo and Juliet" balconies. Lanterns hang in the windows above the stage arch, and palm trees decorate both sides of it.
Today, the theatre also has a large 12-foot by 24-foot screen. It uses a digital projector for movies. There's also a full-service box office where you can buy tickets and a concession stand for snacks. The ceiling of the theatre is a dark blue, decorated with sparkling stars.
The Winter Garden Heritage Foundation finished restoring the Garden Theatre in 2008. The restoration made the theatre look like it did when it first opened. This helped keep the historic feeling of downtown Winter Garden alive.
