Palace Theatre (Manchester, New Hampshire) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Athens Building
|
|
The Palace Theatre in 2014
|
|
 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 76-96 Hanover St., Manchester, New Hampshire |
|---|---|
| Area | 0.5 acres (0.20 ha) |
| Built | 1914 |
| Architect | Leon Lempert & Son |
| NRHP reference No. | 75000123 |
| Added to NRHP | May 30, 1975 |
The Palace Theatre is a special place for live shows in Manchester, New Hampshire, United States. It's located at 76-96 Hanover Street. This historic building was constructed in 1914. It is so important that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. On the Register, it is known as the Athens Building.
Contents
History of the Palace Theatre
How the Theatre Began
In June 1914, a Greek immigrant named Victor Charas started building the theatre. He worked with a builder named Henry Macropol and architects Leon Lempert & Son. The theatre was designed to look like the famous Palace Theatre in New York City. It was built very quickly, in less than a year!
When it opened, people said it was "the only first-class theatre in New Hampshire that was fireproof and air-conditioned." The air conditioning was quite clever for its time. Big fans blew air over large blocks of ice placed under the stage. This helped keep the audience cool.
The Palace Theatre first opened its doors on April 9, 1915. Local newspapers called the opening night "the grandest social occasion of the century." A musical comedy called Modern Eve played to a full house. Many theatres in downtown Manchester had bright lights. Because of this, the area was often called The Great White Way.
Until about 1930, the Palace Theatre hosted many touring vaudeville shows. Vaudeville was a type of entertainment with different acts like comedians, singers, dancers, and magicians. Famous performers like Jimmy Durante, Bob Hope, Harry Houdini, The Marx Brothers, and Red Skelton all performed here. Local acting groups, like The Palace Players, sometimes put on a dozen shows a week!
A Time of Change
Around the late 1920s, vaudeville shows became less popular. People started going to see movies more often, both silent films and "talkies" (movies with sound). The Palace Theatre had to change to stay open. From 1930 until the early 1960s, it mainly showed movies.
By the late 1960s, the Palace Theatre was no longer used for live shows. It became a classroom space for New Hampshire College, which is now Southern New Hampshire University. When the college moved to a new campus, the Palace Theatre became empty. It started to fall apart. The seats were taken out, and the stage equipment was left behind. The building was even used as a warehouse for a while.
The Theatre's Rebirth
In 1973, two young people, Jon Ogden and Rebecca Gould, found out about the theatre. A lawyer named John McLane had convinced the Norwin S. and Elizabeth N. Bean Foundation to help save the Palace. The Bean Foundation provided $500,000 to fix up the theatre.
McLane and Gould worked hard to raise money to keep the theatre running. Ogden was in charge of the renovation work. On November 2, 1974, the Palace Theatre reopened! It had a new look, new lights, new backstage equipment, and new seats. Ogden and his team were still putting in the last few seats just 30 minutes before the grand opening!
The mayor, Sylvio Dupuis, was part of the new New Hampshire Performing Arts Center. He hosted the opening night party. Ogden became the Executive Director, and Gould became the public relations director for the new arts group.
In 1975, the theatre building was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the "Athens Building."
In 1980, Ogden and Gould left their jobs. A new board of directors, led by McLane, cut the theatre's budget. In December 1980, during a cold spell, the sprinkler system froze. When the weather warmed up, the pipes broke. This caused 70,000 gallons of water to flood the theatre! In 1984, a fire destroyed many buildings on Hanover Street. Luckily, the Palace Theatre's strong original design, especially its firewall, saved it and the buildings beyond it.
The Palace Theatre Today
The Palace Theatre building has two main parts. The front part, facing Hanover Street, is a two-story building made of brick and stone. It has five storefronts, and the theatre's lobby is in the westernmost one. Behind this front section is the main auditorium, which is much taller.
The auditorium is about 72 feet long and 59 feet wide. When it first opened, it could seat 1,100 people. After its big restoration, it now has seats for 880 people. Today, the Palace Theatre continues to be a busy place for live performances, bringing joy to many audiences.
