Knowledge (XXG)

Civic Theatre of Allentown

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27: 772: 199:. It featured the new Moller DeLuxe theater organ that the owners had purchased for $ 16,000. The heirloom instrument is still played at times for audiences at the theater today, though the large opening crowds were not able to make the theater a success. Financial problems and the evolution away from silent films made it difficult for the owners to keep it open. In December 1928 the cinema closed its doors. 180:. Residents wanted houses with yards and more open space with less noise than in Allentown's busy center city. Within four years, more than 150 homes with yards were built in that area. In addition to the homes, plans were made for a block of shops, offices and restaurants. The Civic Theater was an important part of this plan. 151:. The theater opened on September 17, 1928. It hosts live theater, educational programs, and screens art house films. In July 1957, the property was purchased by Allentown's Civic Little Theatre. Since then, stage productions have been performed at the theater. In 1994 the company officially changed its name to the 255:
In addition to its main historic theater, Civic Theater of Allentown owns Theatre514, a production center and a 92-seat theatre that is directly across the street from the main theater. Civic uses the facility as one of its screens for its well-regarded independent and international film series, as
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During the mid-1950s, Harold Heydt, then manager of the movie theatre began showing foreign films. In July 1957, Allentown's Civic Little Theatre announced it had purchased the 19th Street Theatre from Moffa for $ 95,000. It was the first home the community theatre group had had since its founding
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Since taking ownership, and after many changes, the Civic Theatre of Allentown offers several plays a year at the theatre, in addition to a variety of independent and international films. Civic Theater School provides theatre training for young people of ages 4–18. The theatre's board of directors
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In 1930, the theater was sold to an L.J. Chamberlain of Amusements Inc. It was converted to show sound films, and it became a second-run theater which, unlike its contemporaries in downtown Allentown, played popular films in a residential neighborhood after they ended their first run at the larger
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The Civic Theatre produces a live theatre season including four mainstage productions. It also produces children's theatre productions and special events. The theater's film arm primarily shows a variety of independent and international films, generally at lower prices than first run cinemas, with
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The theater, located at 527 North 19th Street in Allentown, was developed by Rubin Mainker and Alex Minker and opened on September 17, 1928. "No expense has been spared. The walls inside were painted green with gold and silver accents. The outside of the building was bright yellow with fanciful
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The Civic Theatre began a two-phase renovation project that will restore the auditorium, upgrade the stage equipment and improve the backstage and front-of-house amenities. The project is led by Mills and Schnoering Architects with Stages Consultants providing theatre and acoustics consulting.
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Civic Theatre entered the digital motion picture era when it replaced its traditional 35mm projectors with state-of-the art DCI compliant units. The conversion was completed in August 2013. Civic Theatre's live production arm has produced adaptations of
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In 1994, significant renovations were made to the marquee, which was in severe need of updating. Fundraising efforts and a grant from the Trexler Trust was secured to finance the repair, which was carried out by the Alvin Butz Inc. construction company.
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theaters in the entertainment district. Prices were considerably less: during the Depression of the 1930s, admission was 20 cents for adults and 10 cents for children. It operated successfully through the 1930s and 1940s. However, after
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about 60 to 80 movie titles a year. The Theater School enrolls more than 350 students a year in Fall, Winter and Summer sessions. The theater's annual operating budget is roughly $ 1 million per year.
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owner Albert Moffa reopened the Nineteenth Street Theater in May 1953. It was purchased from Amusements, Inc, for $ 90,000, and the theater's projection system was modified to show
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in the late 1920s. The nonprofit volunteer group began to enlarge the stage and quickly bowed to community requests in late 1957 that the Moller organ be retained.
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Lauer-Williams, Kathy (June 7, 2009), "Designs on a Tony: Allentown Native Michael McDonald is Nominated for Broadway's Top Honor for Costumes for 'Hair'",
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well as to produce and present additional theatrical programming. This theatre underwent a major renovation and expansion in summer 2014.
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Polishing A Gem Lights To Shine Bright On Refurbished Marquee Of 19th Street Theatre, The Morning Call, September 22, 1994
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and the advent of television, attendance at the theater dropped, and it closed in February 1952.
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voted to hire William Sanders as artistic director in 1991 and he has led the theatre to produce
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The first movie to be shown at the Civic Theatre was a silent film called
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National Register of Historic Places in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania
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was its best attended musical in recent years. Its production of
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was the first post-Broadway production of the play since its
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In the early 1920s, a building boom began in the West End of
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decorations of birds, flowers, butterflies and elephants,"
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Stage productions, Education programs, Film presentations
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Buildings and structures in Allentown, Pennsylvania
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Its building on 19th Street was listed on the 1574:Tourist attractions in Allentown, Pennsylvania 800: 643: 8: 19: 807: 793: 785: 650: 636: 628: 18: 394: 1508:Allentown Queen City Municipal Airport 505:: CS1 maint: archived copy as title ( 498: 31:Civic Theatre of Allentown in May 2004 1160:National Museum of Industrial History 431: 429: 427: 425: 423: 421: 419: 16:Cinema in Allentown, Pennsylvania, US 7: 1252:St. Luke's University Health Network 157:National Register of Historic Places 1544:1928 establishments in Pennsylvania 1523:Lehigh Valley International Airport 1320:Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom 1559:History of Allentown, Pennsylvania 1554:Culture of Allentown, Pennsylvania 1247:Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest 1165:Northampton County historic places 14: 1170:Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival 1150:Lehigh County Historical Society 771: 770: 25: 1049:Lehigh Carbon Community College 353:. 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Index


Allentown, Pennsylvania
Coordinates
40°36′12″N 075°29′59″W / 40.60333°N 75.49972°W / 40.60333; -75.49972 (19th Street Theatre)
Official website
Allentown, Pennsylvania
National Register of Historic Places
Allentown
The Allentown Morning Call
The Sawdust Paradise
World War II
Americus Hotel
3D films
Down Among the Sheltering Palms
A Christmas Carol
Lehigh Valley
Michaela Conlin
Fox's
Bones
Dane DeHaan
In Treatment
Michael McDonald
Broadway
Hair
Daniel Roebuck
The Late Shift
Amanda Seyfried
Mama Mia
Christine Taylor
The Wedding Singer

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