Princess Theatre (Decatur, Alabama) facts for kids
The Princess Theatre in July 2010
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| Address | 112 Second Avenue NE |
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| Location | Decatur, Alabama |
| Owner | City of Decatur |
| Type | Performing arts center |
| Capacity | 677 |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1887 |
| Opened | December 30, 1919 |
| Renovated | 1941, 1978 |
| Website | |
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Princess Theatre
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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| Architect | Albert Frahn (1941 renovation) |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| Part of | New Decatur–Albany Historic District (ID95000810) |
| Significant dates | |
| Designated CP | July 7, 1995 |
The Princess Theatre is a cool place in Decatur, Alabama. It's a performing arts center with 677 seats. This building looks like an Art Deco masterpiece. But it actually started as a stable for horses way back in 1887! In 1919, it became a theater. It showed silent films and hosted live vaudeville shows.
In 1941, the Princess Theatre got a big makeover. It was redesigned in the popular Art Deco style. A bright neon sign was added to show its name. A local architect named Albert Frahn painted the inside. He used colors like burgundy and gray. He even added murals that glowed in the dark! Outside the doors, the floor is made of terrazzo. It shows a map of Alabama, marking the Tennessee River and the city of Decatur.
The Princess Theatre stopped showing movies for a while. In 1978, the city of Decatur bought it. The city spent $750,000 to fix it up. After that, the theater opened again. It became the main place for performing arts in the Decatur area. In 1981, the building was added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage.
The Princess Theatre and Education
The Princess Theatre welcomes many people each year. About 60,000 customers visit annually. A large number, around 20,000, are students and teachers. Professional performers often visit Decatur. They put on shows for students during school hours. This helps with arts education. The theater also helps performers visit local Decatur City Schools. They teach students right in their classrooms.
Recent Renovations and Restoration
The City of Decatur has completed some important renovations. The Sexton Lobby was updated. The city also worked to make the Princess Theatre look like it did in the 1950s and 1960s. This included carefully removing paint. The paint had covered the beautiful murals by Albert Frahn. These efforts created a large new area. It is next to and connected to the main theater. This new area has more access to the second floor. It also has places for snacks, restrooms, and dressing rooms. A second entrance to the building was finished in April 2009.
Gallery
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Comedy and tragedy masks from the Princess Theatre, Decatur, AL
