Stanley Theater (Utica, New York) facts for kids
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| Address | 261 Genesee Street Utica, New York United States |
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| Owner | Stanley Center for the Arts |
| Type | Movie palace |
| Capacity | 2,963 |
| Screens | 1 |
| Current use | Performing arts center |
| Opened | September 10, 1928 |
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Stanley Theater
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Architect | Thomas W. Lamb |
| Architectural style | Baroque |
| NRHP reference No. | 76001255 |
| Added to NRHP | August 13, 1976 |
The Stanley Theatre is a beautiful old building in Utica, New York, designed in a fancy style called Baroque. It used to be a special kind of movie theater called a movie palace. Even though it has had different owners over the years, it has always been connected to Warner Brothers Pictures, a famous movie company. Today, it is known as the Stanley Center for the Arts and hosts many live shows.
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A Look Back: The Stanley Theatre's Story
The Stanley Theatre first opened its doors on September 10, 1928. It was originally part of a chain owned by the Stanley-Mark Strand Corporation. However, just three days before it opened, Warner Brothers Pictures bought the entire chain, including the Stanley Theatre. Warner Brothers wanted to show their movies on as many screens as possible. The very first movie shown was a silent film called Ramona, starring Dolores del Río.
Who Designed This Amazing Place?
The Stanley Theatre was designed by Thomas W. Lamb, a very busy architect who created over 300 theaters around the world. He designed this 2,963-seat cinema for the Mastbaum chain of theaters. The theater was named after one of the Mastbaum brothers, Stanley. Thomas W. Lamb had a special connection to the area because he owned a camp in the nearby Adirondack Mountains.
How the Stanley Theatre Was Saved
The Stanley Theatre was built in less than 13 months. It was located on the edge of downtown Utica, away from the main theater district. Many other theaters in Utica were torn down in the 1960s and 70s during a time called Urban Renewal. The Stanley Theatre stayed open, but it was not well cared for during those years.
In 1974, when there was a real chance the Stanley might be destroyed, a group called the Central New York Community Arts Council stepped in. This group, which later became the Stanley Center for the Arts in 2008, worked hard to buy the building. They succeeded, purchasing it for $135,000. This saved the historic theater from being lost forever.
The Stanley Theatre's Unique Style
The design of the Stanley Theatre is often called "Mexican Baroque." This is because it mixes different styles in a unique way.
Outside and Inside Details
- The outside of the building has terra cotta and colorful tiled mosaics, which show a Mexican influence.
- Inside, the theater is very grand with lots of gold leaf. You can see Habsburg lions, faces of Indian people, and many angels and cherubs.
- There's also a Moorish influence, especially in the ceiling that looks like it's covered in stars, and the twisted columns next to the stage.
- A fun legend says that the grand staircase inside the theater was designed to look like the main staircase on the famous Titanic ocean liner.
Live Performances and Famous Guests
While the Stanley Theatre started mainly as a movie house, it began hosting live events early in its history. Today, it is a busy performing arts center.
Regular Shows and Series
The Stanley Theatre is home to many long-running performance series, including:
- The Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute Great Artists Series (over 75 years)
- Broadway Theatre League (50 years)
- Utica Symphony (over 60 years)
- Mohawk Valley Ballet (over 25 years)
Stars on the Stanley Stage
Many famous performers have appeared at the Stanley Theatre over the years.
- Early legendary singers included Marian Anderson, Ezio Pinza, Lily Pons, Jeanette MacDonald, and Gene Autry.
- Later, famous entertainers like Chuck Mangione, Conway Twitty, Dave Matthews, Third Eye Blind, Diana Ross, Barry Manilow, and Harry Connick Jr performed there.
- The theater also hosted multiple appearances by comedians like Jerry Seinfeld and George Carlin.
- Musicians such as Wynton Marsalis, Itzhak Perlman, Bob Weir & RatDog!, and B.B. King also graced its stage.
- More recently, the legendary singer Aretha Franklin and songwriter Burt Bacharach performed at the Stanley.
- The Broadway Theatre League brought in big national touring productions of musicals like Cats, Annie, Evita, Sweeney Todd, and Barnum.
A Recognized Historic Place
The Stanley Theatre was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. This means it is recognized as an important historical site. It is special because of its connection to the early movie industry and its unique architectural design. The theater also had major renovations in 2007 to help keep it beautiful and functional for many more years.
