Colonial Theatre, also known as The Colonial Center for the Performing Arts, is a historic movie theater located at South Hill, Mecklenburg County, Virginia. It was built in 1925, and housed in a three-story brick building done in the Commercial Style.[3] It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003,[1] and as of 2023[update] is used primarily for community theater productions, musical performances, and local events.[4]
Colonial Theatre | |
 Colonial Theater, September 2012 | |
   | |
| Location | 220 S. Mecklenburg Ave., South Hill, Virginia |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 36°43′29″N 78°7′51″W / 36.72472°N 78.13083°W |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1925 |
| Architectural style | Early Commercial |
| NRHP reference No. | 03000448[1] |
| VLR No. | 301-5054 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | May 19, 2003 |
| Designated VLR | March 19, 2003[2] |
History
editBuilt in 1925, the Colonial Theatre was the only theatre in Mecklenburg County for over two decades.[3] The venue originally housed vaudeville shows and musical performances before undergoing conversion first into a theatre for silent movies and later for modern motion pictures.[3] Many notable entertainers performed at the theatre during its lifespan, including Joan Crawford, Clara Bow, and Minnie Pearl.[3]
The area's post office was housed for a time on the building's first floor, while a Masonic lodge was located on the third.[5] The theatre closed in the 1970s and remained so until a community fundraising drive brought about a renovation effort in the early 2000s.[6] The building reopened in 2011 as the Colonial Center for the Performing Arts, featuring a 400-seat theatre, two lobbies and a welcome center on its main floor, as well as an art gallery and offices on the second floor and a ballroom on the third.[6][7]
References
edit- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ "Virginia Landmarks Register". Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
- ^ a b c d James S. Sease, Esq. and Joanna Nix (May 2009). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Colonial Theatre" (PDF). Virginia Department of Historic Resources.
- ^ "Upcoming Shows | Colonial Center for the Performing Arts". Retrieved 2023-09-05.
- ^ Virginia Department of Historic Resources. "301-5054". DHR. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
- ^ a b "History | Colonial Center for the Performing Arts". Retrieved 2023-09-05.
- ^ "The Colonial Center for the Performing Arts". www.virginia.org. Retrieved 2023-09-05.