Warner Theatre (Erie, Pennsylvania) facts for kids
Front entrance of the Warner Theatre
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| Address | 811 State Street Erie, Pennsylvania United States |
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| Owner | Erie County Convention Center Authority |
| Type | Movie palace |
| Capacity | 2,250 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | April 10, 1931 |
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Warner Theatre
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| Built | 1930 |
| Architectural style | Art Deco, French Renaissance |
| NRHP reference No. | 82003787 |
| Added to NRHP | April 13, 1982 |
| Architect | Rapp and Rapp |
The Warner Theatre is a grand old theater located in downtown Erie, Pennsylvania. It's famous for its amazing design, which mixes Art Deco and French Renaissance styles. This historic building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982, meaning it's a really important place to protect.
The theater was designed by architects Rapp and Rapp from Chicago and first opened its doors in 1931. For many years, it was a popular movie theater. In 1976, the City of Erie bought it. By the early 1980s, the city turned it into a performing arts center. This helped bring new life to the downtown area.
Today, the Warner Theatre has a large stage, perfect for many kinds of shows. Its inside is decorated with soft velvet, shiny gold and silver, and beautiful French mirrors. It hosts concerts, Broadway theatre shows, and is home to the Erie Philharmonic orchestra and the Lake Erie Ballet. The theater's main lobby is also big enough to hold up to 500 people for special events.
Contents
History of the Warner Theatre
The Warner Theatre was built by Warner Bros. in 1929. It officially opened on April 10, 1931. The very first movie shown there was called The Millionaire.
Bringing the Theater Back to Life
In 1992, people in Erie decided that the Warner Theatre needed to be a top priority for cultural planning. A group called the Warner Theatre Preservation Trust was formed in 1994. Their goal was to raise money to fix up the theater. They worked hard and raised millions of dollars. The state of Pennsylvania also provided a lot of money to help with the project.
Architects from Chicago [1] and Erie were chosen to lead the big renovation. The project happened in different stages. The first stage, finished in 2002, involved fixing the roof and the outside of the building. The second stage, completed in 2003, put in new seating for everyone. Later stages added new spaces, a new entrance, a box office, and more restrooms. By April 2007, the total funding for the renovation reached $23 million, making the theater even better for visitors.
The Theater's Organ
When the Warner Theatre first opened, it had a special musical instrument called a Wurlitzer pipe organ. This type of organ is very large and uses pipes to make sound. In 1970, this original organ was moved to a place called the Grays Armory in Cleveland, Ohio.
In May 2022, a new Wurlitzer organ began to be installed at the theater. This new organ is made from parts of two different organs. One part came from an organ donated by Dennis and Margaret Unks. The other part came from an old Shea's Theater organ. This new, combined organ was fully installed and ready to play later in 2022.
See also
- List of concert halls
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Erie County, Pennsylvania
