Hippodrome State Theatre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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U.S. Post Office and Courthouse — Gainesville
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 Location in Florida
Location in the United States
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| Location | 25 Southeast 2nd Place, Gainesville, Florida |
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| Built | 1911 |
| Architect | John Young, James Knox Taylor |
| Architectural style | Beaux Arts |
| NRHP reference No. | 79000659 |
| Added to NRHP | July 10, 1979 |
The Hippodrome Theatre (also known as The Hippodrome or The Hipp) is a cool professional theatre in downtown Gainesville, Florida. Local actors started it in 1973. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. This means it's an important historical building!
Contents
A Look Back: The Hippodrome's Story
From Post Office to Theatre
The building where the Hippodrome Theatre is today was finished in 1911. It first served as a U.S. Post Office. The post office was on the first floor. The second floor was a courthouse. This was for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida.
Inside the Historic Building
Today, the inside of the Hippodrome still has many original features. You can see the old walls, doors, and wooden beams. These are from when it was a post office and courthouse. The building also has one of Florida's oldest working elevators. An operator has to manually close the screen and door. Then, they pull a crank to make it move!
Modern Upgrades and Renovations
In 2013, the theatre needed to update its movie projectors. Old 35mm film was being replaced by digital. The Hippodrome raised money for this. They used special grants and a Kickstarter project. The upgrade cost about $40,000.
More improvements happened in 2020. The lobby was made nicer. They added better indoor and outdoor lights. New speakers were installed, and the air conditioning was improved. These renovations cost over $324,000. Part of the money came from a local tax program.
What Happens at The Hippodrome
The Hippodrome uses professional actors for its main stage shows. It also has its own team of designers. These include set designers, costume designers, and sound and lighting experts. They make each show look and sound amazing!
The Hippodrome also offers arts education. They have classes and camps for all ages. You can even learn about what happens behind the scenes. They show both Broadway and off-Broadway plays. You can also watch special art house films there.
It's a cozy place, but it has two main areas. The main stage theatre is on the second floor. It has 268 seats and a special thrust stage. On the first floor, there's a cinema space. It has 80 seats for watching movies.
