Paramount Arts Center facts for kids
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Paramount Theatre
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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The building in 2023
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| Location | Ashland, Kentucky |
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| Built | 1931 |
| Architect | Rapp and Rapp |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| Part of | Ashland Commercial Historic District (ID94000838) |
| NRHP reference No. | 75000736 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | June 30, 1975 |
| Designated CP | August 5, 1994 |
The Paramount Arts Center is a really old and special theater. You can find it in Ashland, Kentucky, in the United States. It's so important that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Paramount Theatre. This theater is a big part of the history of live shows in Kentucky.
Today, the theater is run by a group that doesn't make a profit. They put on all kinds of amazing shows. You can see symphonies, exciting Broadway plays, beautiful ballets, and many other performances here.
Contents
History of the Paramount
How the Theater Started
The Paramount Theatre first opened its doors on September 5, 1931. It was meant to be a special place for "talking pictures," which were new at the time. The theater was designed to be a model for others across the country. It would show movies made by Paramount Pictures.
However, the Great Depression changed these plans. Paramount Pictures decided to stop the project. But a company from Ashland took over the plans. They used the original designs by Rapp and Rapp. Paramount craftsmen helped with the inside decorations. The building was then rented to Paramount Publix Corporation.
Closing and Reopening
The theater closed in 1971 after being open for 40 years. But it didn't stay closed for long! In 1972, a group called the Greater Ashland Foundation was formed. They bought the Paramount Theatre. They wanted to make it a center for performing arts.
It reopened in the same year with a new name: the "Paramount Arts Center." In 1992, something cool happened here. The music video for the song "Achy Breaky Heart" by Billy Ray Cyrus was filmed inside the theater.
The theater has been updated many times since 1972. In 2002, they added a new stage area. They also added new dressing rooms and practice spaces. A nearby building was bought in 1998 and connected to the main theater. This gave them more room for events.
In November 2006, the Paramount Arts Center had some water damage. A beauty pageant contestant accidentally set off a water sprinkler. She was using a steamer to smooth out a dress. The heat from the steamer made the sprinkler go off. Water poured from the second floor, causing about $30,000 in damage.
The Paramount's Friendly Ghost
Some people say the Paramount Theatre has a ghost! The story goes that during early work on the theater, a man named Joe died there. Since then, his ghost is said to haunt the building.
The legend says that in the early 1940s, four construction workers were fixing things inside the theater. Three of them went to lunch, but Joe stayed behind. When they came back, they found Joe had died.
Since then, strange things have happened. People have heard sounds, things have gone missing, and cold breezes have been felt. Sometimes, people even see a man's image. But most people say Joe is a "good ghost." He seems to watch over the theater and the people in it.
Billy Ray Cyrus and Joe
When Billy Ray Cyrus was filming his music video at the Paramount, he heard about Paramount Joe. It's a tradition for performers to sign photos for the "Wall of Fame." Billy Ray signed posters for the women working there. He also signed one special poster for Paramount Joe.
The women put their posters near their desks. Joe's poster was hung in the box office with other performers' photos. Later, there were too many pictures on the wall. The director decided some needed to come down. No one wanted to take down their own Billy Ray poster. So, they took down the one signed to Paramount Joe.
The next day, the story says, all the neatly hung photos were on the floor. Many of their glass frames were broken! Paramount Joe's poster is now in a special room called The Marquee Room. This room is now the Paramount Joe's Rising Star Café.
A Message from Joe?
In 2004, the marketing director, Tyson Compton, was giving a tour. He was telling high school students the story of Paramount Joe. He realized he always talked about Joe, not to him. So, he stopped and asked, "Joe, are you here? Is it okay that I tell your story?"
He says he heard a seat squeak. The next day, a psychic called him. She asked if someone close to him had recently died. She said she got a message from "the other side." The message was: "I'm supposed to tell you that Joe said he is here."
The Paramount Players
The Paramount Players are a group of local actors. They try out for different plays and musicals. These shows are put on by the Paramount Arts Center's Artistic Director.
The Paramount Players have won many awards. They won for "Outstanding Production" for their shows RENT and Cabaret. They also won "Best Musical" for CATS and RENT. They have even won awards for "Best Director" and "Best Choreography."
