Image: Rodgers Theatre, 204-224 N. Broadway Street, Poplar Bluff, Mo, USA

Description: The Rodgers Theatre, 204-224 N. Broadway Street, Poplar Bluff, Missouri, United States was opened June 1, 1949, by I. W. Rodgers and is a great example of late Art Deco architecture. The Rodgers had 1160 red plush ‘Bodyform’ seats in its auditorium, 20 of which where equipped with hearing aid attachments, and the Rodgers had a cry room for small children and their mothers on the balcony, which had a soundproof glass window which allowed mothers to still view the movie. It was air-conditioned and heated, and was hailed as the finest theater between St. Louis and Memphis when it opened. Its front doors were made of solid walnut, and the circular shaped main lobby contained leather benches and a concession stand. Staircases led up to the balcony and down to the restrooms. In the ensuing years, the ticket booth was closed, and the theater was divided into two screens. The theater was sold by the Rodgers family to the Kerasotes chain in 1966, which continued to operate the theater until it was closed in May 14, 1998, due to the chain’s opening a new multiplex theater nearby on Highway 67 South. After closing the Rodgers, Kerasotes donated in Jan., 1999, the theater to Butler County. Since 2007, the Rodgers Theatre has hosted occasional live concerts. Butler County offices are now located in the former theater office space on the second floor.
Title: Rodgers Theatre, 204-224 N. Broadway Street, Poplar Bluff, Mo, USA
Credit: Own work
Author: Michael Gäbler
Usage Terms: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
License: CC BY-SA 3.0
License Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
Attribution Required?: Yes