Uptown Theater (Napa, California) facts for kids
| Address | 1350 Third Street Napa, California |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 38°17′47″N 122°17′15″W / 38.2964905°N 122.2874341°W |
| Owner | John Anthony Truchard |
| Capacity | 863 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | August 12, 1937 |
| Reopened | May 14, 2010 |
| Rebuilt | 2010 |
| Years active | 1937-2000, 2010-Present |
The Uptown Theatre is a cool place in Napa, California, where people go to watch concerts and shows. It's a beautiful building built in the Art Deco style, which was popular a long time ago. The theater first opened its doors in 1937. Today, it's a popular spot for live music and entertainment, and it can hold 863 people.
Contents
A Look Back at the Uptown Theatre
Early Days and Movie Magic
The Uptown Theatre first opened on August 12, 1937. It was built by its owner, Lawrence Borg. The very first movie shown there was called Ever Since Eve.
In 1945, Borg sold the Uptown Theatre to the Blumfield theater company. They made some big changes. In 1954, Blumfield updated the movie system to something called Cinemascope. This meant they needed a much bigger screen. The old 23-foot screen was replaced with a huge 40-foot screen!
Changing with the Times
Over the years, the theater changed to keep up with new trends. In 1973, the big theater was split in half to create two smaller movie screens. Then, in 1986, it was divided again to make four screens. These screens mostly showed movies that had already been out for a while.
During the 1990s, the theater had different owners. But by 2000, fewer people were coming to watch movies. There were also newer, bigger movie theaters nearby. Because of this, the Uptown Theatre closed its doors.
A New Beginning
After closing, the Uptown Theatre was bought by a real estate developer named George Altamura in 2000. In 2003, he announced a plan to bring the theater back to life. He teamed up with several investors, including the famous movie director Francis Ford Coppola. Their goal was to restore the building and turn it into a live entertainment venue.
The outside of the theater was fixed up by 2005. When artists started working on the inside, they made an amazing discovery! Under many layers of paint on the ceiling, they found an original Greco-Roman mural. This beautiful artwork was carefully restored and finished in 2009. A company called Meyer Sound Laboratories also helped design a fantastic sound system for the theater.
Reopening and Famous Performers
The Uptown Theatre officially reopened on May 14, 2010. The first performance was by the band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. Since then, many famous artists have performed there. Some of them include Willie Nelson, Boz Scaggs, Rosanne Cash, George Thorogood, Merle Haggard, John Prine, Emmylou Harris, Lily Tomlin, B.B. King, Glen Campbell, Cyndi Lauper, and Lyle Lovett.
The 2014 Earthquake
In 2014, the ceiling of the theater was damaged during an earthquake in South Napa. Even though the building itself was strong, it had to close for repairs. The first concert after the repairs was on November 9, 2014, featuring Ziggy Marley.
New Ownership Today
In 2022, John Anthony Truchard bought the Uptown Theatre. Now, it hosts a special music series called "JaM Cellars Presents." The theater continues to be a popular place for live music and shows in Napa.
