Paramount Theatre (Abilene, Texas) facts for kids
.jpg) |
|
| Address | 352 Cypress Street Abilene, Texas United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 32°27′8″N 99°44′2″W / 32.45222°N 99.73389°W |
| Capacity | 1,187 (Originally 1,500) |
| Construction | |
| Opened | May 19th, 1930 |
| Architect | David S. Castle & Co., Abilene, Texas |
| Website | |
|
Paramount Theatre
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1929 |
| Architectural style | Mission/Spanish Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 82001739 |
| Added to NRHP | December 27, 1982 |
The Paramount Theatre is a famous building in downtown Abilene, Texas. You can find it at 352 Cypress Street. It's a special place where people enjoy movies, live plays, and musical performances.
Contents
History of the Paramount Theatre
The Paramount Theatre was built in 1930 by H. O. Wooten. It was right next to his Hotel Wooten. The theatre first opened its doors on May 19, 1930. The very first movie shown there was Safety in Numbers.
A cool fact is that on February 12, 1931, Universal Pictures chose the Abilene Paramount to show the horror movie Dracula. This was two whole days before its official premiere on Valentine's Day!
The Paramount kept showing movies for many years. But in the 1970s, fewer people were visiting downtown Abilene. This meant fewer people came to the theatre. So, in 1979, the theatre closed for the first time since it opened.
Saving the Theatre
Luckily, a group called the Abilene Preservation League stepped in. They formed the Paramount Committee to save the building from being torn down. They worked with the National Register of Historic Places to protect it.
Thanks to funding from Julia Matthews and the Dodge Jones Foundation, the Paramount Theatre was beautifully restored in 1986. Today, it has 1,187 seats and a stunning Spanish-Moorish design inside. Its domed ceiling even has moving clouds and sparkling stars!
What You Can See at the Paramount
The Paramount Theatre is a busy place with lots of different shows. Visitors can watch performances by many local groups. These include the Abilene Ballet Theatre and the Abilene Opera Association. You can also see the Celebration Singers and the Abilene Children's Performing Arts Series. The Abilene Community Band and the Classical Chorus of Abilene also perform here. Plus, there are many other professional and amateur shows.
Live Theatre Productions
The theatre also creates its own live plays. In 1993, the Paramount started its annual Paramount Summer Musical. Every summer, for decades, the theatre has put on big productions. They use local amateur actors and work with talented musicians, choreographers, and designers from the area. The theatre also partners with local university theatre departments.
In 2003, the Paramount began an annual children's show every January. And since 2016, they have also staged a play each September.
Movies at the Paramount
Even with all the live shows, the Paramount is still best known as a movie house. The annual Paramount Film Series has shown hundreds of films since the theatre reopened in 1987. In 2019, more than 14,000 people came to watch a movie at the Paramount!
See also
