Palace Theater (Waterbury, Connecticut) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Palace Theater
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 100 E. Main St., Waterbury, Connecticut |
|---|---|
| Area | 1.5 acres (0.61 ha) |
| Built | 1921 |
| Architect | Lamb, Thomas W. |
| Architectural style | Late 19th And 20th Century Revivals, 2nd Renaissance Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 83001284 |
| Added to NRHP | June 30, 1983 |
The Palace Theater is a large and beautiful building in downtown Waterbury, Connecticut. It has 2,900 seats, making it a big place for shows! Today, it hosts many different live performances. You can see traveling shows and local events here.
The theater was built in 1921. It was designed by Thomas W. Lamb, a famous architect. The building has a special style called Renaissance Revival. It's a very important and beautiful part of Waterbury's downtown area. The Palace Theater was carefully fixed up in the early 2000s. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's a special historical site.
What Does the Palace Theater Look Like?
The Palace Theater is in downtown Waterbury. It's on the south side of East Main Street, near the city green. The building is about 125 feet (38 meters) wide along the street. There are small shops on the ground floor next to the theater's main entrance.
A large sign, called a marquee, sticks out over the sidewalk. It covers the entrance. The building has four stories. The upper parts are very fancy. The second floor has groups of three windows in each section. A decorative ledge, called a cornice, separates the second floor from the top two floors.
The top two floors have tall, rounded windows. These windows are framed by round columns. Flat columns, called pilasters, separate the windows. A decorative band and another cornice top the building. Inside, the lobby and the main show area are very richly decorated.
The History of the Palace Theater
The Palace Theater opened in 1922. It was designed by Thomas W. Lamb, who was one of the best theater designers of his time. When it first opened, people thought it was the best place in Waterbury to see a show. It hosted many different kinds of entertainment. You could see live vaudeville shows, which were variety acts, and the newest movies.
The theater was part of a big business owned by Sylvester Z. Poli. He owned about thirty theaters, mostly in the northeastern United States. It's amazing that only two of Poli's theaters are still around today. The Palace Theater is especially well-preserved.
The theater closed its doors in 1987. It stayed closed for eighteen years. Then, a big project started to bring it back to life. The Tomasso Group led a $30 million restoration. The theater reopened in 2004, looking beautiful once again.
See Also
