Ritz Theatre (Haddon Township, New Jersey) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Ritz Theatre
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Ritz Theatre, October 2005
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 Location in Camden County, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Location | 915 White Horse Pike, Haddon Twp., NJ 08104 |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1927 |
| Architect | Hodgens & Hill |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 02001625 |
| Added to NRHP | December 26, 2002 |
The Ritz Theatre is a cool old building in Haddon Township, New Jersey. It's a place where people can watch plays and shows. A group called The Ritz Theatre Company owns and runs it. This company is a nonprofit organization, which means they use their money to help the theater, not to make a profit. The Ritz Theatre is so special that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. This list helps protect important places in history.
Contents
The Story of the Ritz Theatre
Building the Theater
The Ritz Theatre was built a long time ago in 1927. A man named William E. Butler spent about $400,000 to build it. That was a lot of money back then! The building was designed by architects Hodgens and Hill. When it first opened, it had 800 seats for people to sit in.
The theater got its name from the famous Ritz hotel in Paris, France. In February 1927, officials from Oaklyn, New Jersey, came to the special ceremony when building started. The Ritz Theatre was built in a Classical Revival style. This means it looked like old Greek and Roman buildings.
Opening Night and Early Shows
The Ritz Theatre first opened its doors on September 12, 1927. The very first movie shown was Tillie the Toiler. Besides movies, the theater also had Vaudeville acts. Vaudeville was a type of show with different performers like singers, dancers, and comedians.
Inside, the theater was very fancy. The walls had beautiful paintings called murals. They looked like old classical art. There were also fancy columns with gold trim and velvet curtains.
Changes Over the Years
In the 1930s, something unexpected happened: the ceiling of the theater fell down! After it was fixed, the theater had fewer seats, only 600. By 1948, a company called Peerless Corporation was running the theater.
In the 1950s and 1960s, the Ritz started showing different kinds of movies. It showed "fine art" and "foreign films." These were often movies from other countries or ones that were considered more artistic. Later, in the 1970s, the theater mostly showed movies for grown-ups. The Ritz Theatre then closed down in early 1985.
A New Beginning
On October 7, 1985, a new theater group came along. This group was led by Bruce A. Curless. They rented the Ritz Theatre and gave it a new name: the Ritz Vaudeville Theater. They made the stage bigger, which meant they had to remove some seats. Now, the theater had 400 seats.
The actors in the first shows didn't get paid, but they loved performing! The company put on its first play, The Boy Friend, in January 1986.
Helping the Community
In 1990, the theater put on a play called Children of a Lesser God. This play was special because it used American Sign Language (ASL). After this, the Ritz Theatre started using ASL more often. For example, in 2006 and 2008, they had "Shadow Interpreters" for their Christmas play, Scrooge. These interpreters helped people who are deaf enjoy the show. They also did this for other plays like Arsenic and Old Lace in 2010.
Today, The Ritz Theatre Company puts on many shows each year. They have six main plays and eight shows just for kids! More than 73,300 people come to watch their shows every year. They also have holiday shows, special events, and even summer theater camps. You can also find an art gallery inside the theater called The Gallery at the Ritz. It shows new art exhibits every month.
Becoming a Historic Place
In 2001, the theater's leaders bought the building. This made the Ritz Theatre its permanent home. Then, on December 26, 2002, the Ritz was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as an important historical building.
The theater has also had some big updates. The roof was replaced, and the electrical system was made better. They also added sprinklers for safety. The lobby got new carpet and paint. Work also started to fix up the front of the building and the classic sign, called a marquee. They also worked on restoring the beautiful Greek-style murals inside.
In April 2014, the Ritz held its first fundraiser. This event, called "Rock The Ritz," raised over $11,000. This money helps keep the theater running and putting on great shows.
Notable People
- Cristin Milioti: This actress performed in Ritz productions like Carousel and Romeo and Juliet. She also acted in the Christmas play Scrooge.
See also
