Imperial Theatre (Augusta, Georgia) facts for kids
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| Address | 749 Broad St Augusta, Georgia, 30901 USA |
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| Coordinates | 33°28′31″N 81°57′52″W / 33.4754°N 81.9645°W |
| Capacity | 853 |
| Opened | February 18, 1918 |
The Imperial Theatre is a historic and beautiful theater. It is located in downtown Augusta, Georgia, United States. This theater has 853 seats, which means many people can watch shows there! It first opened its doors a long time ago, on February 18, 1918. The theater was named after another famous theater. That one is the Imperial Theatre in New York City. Today, it is a busy place. You can see all sorts of live performances there. These include plays, musicals, concerts, and dance shows.
Contents
A Look Back: The Imperial Theatre's Story
How It All Began
The Imperial Theatre started its life in 1917. Back then, it was called The Wells Theatre. It was created by a man named Jake Wells. The building was designed by architect G. Lloyd Preacher. It cost about $47,792 to build. This was a lot of money at the time! The theater was built in a fancy style. It was called Victorian Renaissance.
When it first opened on February 18, 1918, people could watch "vaudeville" shows. Vaudeville was a popular type of entertainment. It featured many different acts. These included singers, dancers, comedians, and magicians.
Opening Night Ticket Prices
Here are the prices for tickets on opening night:
- Matinee (daytime show): $0.10 and $0.20
- Evening show: $0.15
- Orchestra (seats closest to the stage): $0.35
- Balcony (upper level seats): First Section: $0.35, Other parts: $0.25
- Gallery (a special section): $0.15
From Wells to Imperial
In October 1918, a serious illness spread. It was called the Spanish Flu. Over 3,000 cases were reported in Augusta. Many people became sick. Because of this, the city closed all public places. This included the theater. The closure started on October 7. During this time, Jake Wells faced money problems. He decided to sell The Wells Theatre. Lynch Enterprises bought it.
The quarantine was lifted on November 27, 1918. Two weeks later, the theater reopened. It still used Jake Wells' name at first. Soon after, Lynch Enterprises bought other theaters. Then, The Wells Theatre's name was changed. It became The Imperial Theatre.
Movies Take Over
In 1929, vaudeville shows became less popular. Movies, however, became very successful. So, the Imperial Theatre was changed. It became a full-time movie house. The theater was updated in a popular style. This style was called Art Deco.
In March 1936, a special movie was shown. It was called "The Trail of the Lonesome Pine." This movie starred Henry Fonda and Fred MacMurray. It was the first color film ever shown at the Imperial Theatre! The theater is part of the Broad Street Historical District. It is listed as important to the area.
Reopening as a Performing Arts Center
Over time, the downtown area became less busy. The Imperial Theatre continued as a movie theater until 1981. Then, it closed. But in 1985, people realized how special its architecture was. Local performing arts groups helped. Groups like the Augusta Ballet and the Augusta Players worked to reopen it. It became a place for live shows again.
Today, the Imperial Theatre is a lively place for entertainment. It has a full season of musicals, dance, concerts, and comedy. It is still important to the Broad Street Historic District. The Imperial is the only historic theater still open in Augusta. It is home to many groups. These include the Augusta Ballet, the Augusta Players, and the Morris Museum of Art's Southern Soul + Song Series. Other groups like Storyland Theatre and the Poison Peach Film Festival also use it.
Famous Visitors
Many famous people have visited the Imperial Theatre. One of the earliest was Charlie Chaplin. He came on April 18, 1918. He was there to help sell Liberty war bonds. These bonds helped the country during World War I.
Other famous performers also appeared. These included Leo Carrillo, who later became famous as Pancho in "The Cisco Kid." The very famous ballet dancer Anna Pavlova also performed there.
See also
