Stefanie H. Weill Center for the Performing Arts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Sheboygan Theatre
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| Location | 826 North 8th Street Sheboygan, Wisconsin  United States |
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| Built | 1928 |
| Architectural style | Spanish Colonial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 99001606 |
| Added to NRHP | December 22, 1999 |
The Stefanie H. Weill Center for the Performing Arts is a special historic theater in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. It used to be called the Sheboygan Theatre. This beautiful building is a place where people can enjoy live performances and shows.
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History of the Theater
Building the Sheboygan Theatre
The Sheboygan Theatre was built in 1928. It cost about $600,000 to construct, which was a lot of money back then! The theater was designed for the Milwaukee Theatre Circuit, which was part of Universal Pictures Corporation.
The building's style is called Spanish Colonial Revival. This means it looks like old Spanish buildings, often with fancy details and a grand feel. The inside of the theater was made to look like a beautiful Spanish garden at night. This type of design was known as an "atmospheric" theater. It made movie-goers feel like they were in a different place. Carl Laemmle, who started Universal Pictures, had connections to the area.
Changes Over Time
Later, the theater was bought by the Marcus Corporation. They changed it into two smaller theaters, a process called "twinning." It was then known as the Plaza 8 Cinema. This name came from a downtown pedestrian mall that didn't work out.
The Plaza 8 Cinema closed in 1992. This happened when Marcus Corporation opened a bigger movie theater on the west side of Sheboygan. Even though the theater was split into two, most of its original design stayed the same. Many other theaters downtown had been torn down or changed a lot by then. The Sheboygan Theatre was the last one left.
Saving a Landmark
In 1996, a group called the Weill Center Foundation bought the building. Their goal was to save and restore this historic theater. They wanted to make sure it could be used for performances again.
On December 22, 1999, the theater was officially recognized as a historic place. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior. It was also added to the State of Wisconsin Register of Historic Places. The Weill Center complex now includes other buildings nearby. These buildings are used for things like selling tickets, rehearsals, meetings, and storage.
Recent Events
The Weill Center continues to host many events. For example, on October 2, 2019, a TV show called Fehrety Live was filmed there. This show is about golf. The host, David Feherty, talked with golf captains Steve Stricker and Pádraig Harrington. They were getting ready for the 2021 Ryder Cup, a big golf tournament.
