St. George Theatre facts for kids
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Exterior
Interior
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| Full name | St. George Theatre Restoration Inc. |
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| Address | 35 Hyatt Street Staten Island, New York United States |
| Location | Staten Island, New York |
| Coordinates | 40°38′31.23″N 74°4′39.08″W / 40.6420083°N 74.0775222°W |
| Public transit | St. George Terminal |
| Owner | St. George Theatre Restoration Inc. |
| Operator | St. George Theatre Restoration Inc. |
| Genre(s) | All Genres |
| Seating type | Fixed seating |
| Capacity | 1,903 |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | August 1928 |
| Opened | December 4, 1929 |
| Renovated | 2004 |
| Architect | Eugene DeRosa (Architect) and Nestor Castro (Interior Designer) |
The St. George Theatre is a historic theater and arts center located in the St. George neighborhood of Staten Island, New York City. When it first opened on December 4, 1929, it was a grand "picture palace," a type of large, fancy movie theater. It was built by a theater owner named Solomon Brill.
The theater was designed by architect Eugene De Rosa, with help from local architect James Whitford. Its beautiful and detailed interior, which looks like a Spanish or Italian palace, was created by designer Nestor Castro. Originally built with 2,800 seats, the theater now has 1,903 seats.
After being saved and restored in 2004, the St. George Theatre is now a busy place for all kinds of entertainment. It hosts concerts, comedy shows, Broadway plays, and even serves as a location for filming TV shows and movies.
Contents
The Story of the St. George
A Grand Opening
Construction on the St. George Theatre began in 1928. The owner, Solomon Brill, wanted to build a theater so amazing it would compete with the famous theaters in Manhattan. He spent $2 million to build it, which was a huge amount of money at the time.
The theater opened in 1929, promising to bring top-quality live shows, called vaudeville, to Staten Island. However, just a few years later, Brill sold the theater to William Fox, a major figure in the movie industry.
A Neighborhood Movie Palace
During the 1940s, 50s, and 60s, a company called Fabian Theatres ran the St. George as its main movie theater on Staten Island. A fun fact is that the men's restroom on the main floor used to be the company's district office.
In the 1970s, a new group called Victoria Theatres took over. They wanted to bring back live music and shows, along with movies. For about a year, famous musicians like Sly Stone and Chaka Kahn performed on its stage.
Saved from Being Forgotten
After 1978, the theater stopped showing movies. For many years, people tried to turn it into other things, like a restaurant or a nightclub, but nothing worked out. It was even used by local dance studios for their shows.
Finally, in 2004, a group of local women started a non-profit organization to save the historic theater. Thanks to their hard work, the St. George Theatre reopened in June 2004. In 2017, it had a major $5.2 million renovation to update the seats and add a modern LED sign outside.
Amazing Architecture and Sound
A Palace-Like Design
The St. George Theatre was designed to impress everyone who walked inside. The main architect was Eugene De Rosa, who was known for building theaters. The inside was designed by Nestor Castro to look like a fancy European palace, using Spanish and Italian Baroque styles.
The theater is filled with amazing details, like gold-colored plaster decorations, stained glass, and beautiful ironwork. It has comfortable velvet seats, balconies that seem to float without any posts blocking the view, and grand staircases.
Known for Perfect Sound
One of the most special things about the St. George Theatre is its incredible acoustics, which means how well sound travels in the room. The sound is so clear that a performer can stand on the stage and speak in a normal voice, and someone in the highest balcony, six stories up, can hear them perfectly.
Even though many people remember it as a movie theater, it was first built for live vaudeville shows. The room for the movie projector was only added as an afterthought when the theater was almost finished.
The Theater on Stage and Screen
Famous Performers
The very first movie shown at the theater in 1929 was So This Is College. In its early days, famous entertainers like Al Jolson and Kate Smith performed on its stage.
Since reopening, the theater has hosted many famous musicians and bands. Some of the stars who have performed there include Ringo Starr, Tony Bennett, Diana Ross, Cyndi Lauper, Air Supply, the Jonas Brothers, and REO Speedwagon.
Many famous comedians have also made audiences laugh at the St. George, including Jerry Seinfeld, Kevin James, Rosie O'Donnell, Chris Rock, and Steve Martin.
A Popular Filming Location
The St. George Theatre is so beautiful that it's often used as a set for movies and TV shows.
- The final "Battle of the Bands" scene in the 2003 movie School of Rock was filmed here.
- The TV show Gossip Girl used the theater to film scenes set at an opera.
- Steven Spielberg's TV show Smash also filmed scenes inside the theater.
- In 2014, the theater was part of a series of concerts for the Super Bowl.
