Reviving Historic Theaters: The Shows Go On

According to traditional building magazine (2020), Historic theaters encapsulate a specific period in the

history of entertainment. They were many in their prime, with traditional and graceful designs, and they

were a vital part of their communities. Some were huge and spectacular, while others were more

modest, but they were all important aspects of the communities. Many were abandoned and fell into

ruin as times and tastes in entertainment changed. Thanks to experienced architects and craftspeople,

developers, historic tax credits, and eager communities, several of these theaters are making a

resurgence and being adapted to today's technological and entertainment interests. As theaters reopen,

the communities they serve frequently do as well. Martinez+Johnson of Washington, DC, and New York,

and Mills + Schnoering of Princeton, NJ, will be included in this article, as well as photographs and

information about additional theaters across the country. Five enormous, beautiful theaters erected by

Loew's in the late 1920s were known as "Wonder Theaters" in the New York/New Jersey area. The Kings

Theatre in Brooklyn and the Loew's in Jersey City, both designed by Rapp & Rapp in the French

Renaissance style; the Valencia in Jamaica, Queens, NY, designed by John Eberson in the style of a

Spanish villa; the Paradise Theater in the Bronx, NY, designed by Eberson in the style of the Venetian

doge's palace, now run by the World Changers Church; and the United Palace Theater in New York City,

all designed by Rapp

The Kings Theatre on Flatbush Ave. in Brooklyn, NY, is one of them, and it was recently repaired and

refurbished. Martinez+Johnson Architecture of Washington, DC, and New York led the project. The

multi-year, $95 million project included extensive structural work as well as the restoration of the

magnificent historic interior. In the late 1980s, Martinez+Johnson began working with historic theaters.
“We worked on the Warner Theater in Washington, DC, but the Boston Opera House, a Thomas Lamb

theater, was our first job as M+J,” recalls partner Gary Martinez, FAIA. He notes that while working on

the Warner, he met folks from ACE Theatrical Group, which has led to many additional joint ventures.

According to Martinez, the Boston Opera House was built as a stage replacement project with little

under 2,800 seats. “It is intended for multi-use activities, as are many of the venues on which we

operate. It was built for touring theatre productions and also houses the Boston Ballet.” Another early

project was in El Paso, TX, where the company restored an outdated cinema theater to accommodate

both the symphony and traveling shows. “It was a cramped stage. It required a large amount of

backstage support space.”

REFERENCES:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.traditionalbuilding.com/.amp/features/the-shows-go-on