The Williams Center (theater) facts for kids
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William Carlos Williams Center for the Performing Arts, The Willy
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| Former names | Rivoli Theatre, William Carlos Williams Center for the Performing Arts |
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| Location | 1 Williams Plaza, Rutherford, New Jersey 07070 |
| Owner | Native Development LLC |
| Type | Theater [(performing arts)] |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1920s |
| Renovated | 1982, 2006, 2008 |
The Williams Center is a cool place in Rutherford, New Jersey. It's an arts center and movie theater all in one! This special building is named after William Carlos Williams. He was a famous poet and doctor who grew up right there in Rutherford.
The building started out in the 1920s as a Vaudeville theater called the Rivoli. Vaudeville was a type of show with many different acts, like singers, dancers, and comedians. Soon, the Rivoli started showing silent movies, and then "talkies" (movies with sound!). The theater was very popular until a fire damaged part of it in 1977.
But don't worry! In 1978, a group of people who loved the arts helped save the building. They started the Williams Center Project. Thanks to them, the center reopened in 1982. Today, the Williams Center has two live theaters and three movie screens. It also has an open area for meetings and events. In 2021, the town of Rutherford bought the center. This helped make sure the building would continue to be a place for arts and fun.
What You Can Do There Now
The Williams Center is a busy place! It has three movie theaters that show the newest films. These theaters and the lobby areas were updated in 2016. They switched from old film projectors to new digital ones. The snack stands were also made new, and there's even a party room that's now an arcade!
The building is currently getting some big updates. But it still hosts fun art and music events every week. It's a great spot to catch a movie or enjoy a live show.
A Look Back at Its History
The Rivoli Theater first opened its doors in Rutherford in April 1922. It was a huge theater that could hold 2,200 people! The building was designed by Abram Preiskel and Harry Hecht. It had a beautiful marble front and a fancy chandelier. This chandelier was made with 62,000 sparkling crystals!
The Rivoli was a popular place for silent movies. It was also a famous stop for vaudeville shows. Famous performers like Abbott and Costello and the Glenn Miller Orchestra played there. Audiences loved watching silent movie stars like Buster Keaton.
The theater kept going strong until January 1977. That's when a big fire destroyed almost one-third of the building. It looked like the theater might be gone forever. But a group of kind people stepped in to save it. They included Fairleigh Dickinson and Peter and Sally Sammartino. They started a group called the Williams Center Project.
The theater's name was changed to the William Carlos Williams Center for the Performing Arts. This was to honor the famous poet and doctor from Rutherford. After being fixed up, the new center opened in 1982.
In 1987, the building was given to Bergen County. A group then leased it to keep running the center. The Williams Center has always been important to the community. Many people from Rutherford remember graduating from high school on its main stage! It's a place where people can enjoy live theater, music, movies, and art shows.
