Capitol Theatre (Port Hope)

Last updated
The Capitol Theatre was named a National Historic Site in 2016 Capitol Theatre Port Hope.jpg
The Capitol Theatre was named a National Historic Site in 2016

The Capitol Theatre is located in Port Hope, Ontario, and is one of the last fully restored atmospheric movie theatres still in operation in Canada. [1] Now a National Historic Site and still used for performances, it was constructed in 1930, with an interior designed to resemble a walled medieval courtyard surrounded by a forest. It was one of the first cinemas in the country built expressly for talking pictures. It opened on Friday, August 15, 1930, screening Queen High starring Charlie Ruggles and Ginger Rogers. [2]

Contents

History

The Capitol Theatre, located at 20 Queen Street, Port Hope, Ontario, was built by Famous Players in 1930 following the closure of the Grand Opera House (Music Hall) the previous year. Famous Players was convinced that the project would be worth undertaking after the former Opera House manager, Stuart Smart, lobbied the company. [3]

The theatre cost 60,000 dollars to build, the interior is styled to resemble a Norman Castle. [4] On opening night the theatre was outfitted with 648 seats (later scaled back to 550). [3]

The building itself was designed by the former President of the Ontario Association of Architects, Murray Brown, who oversaw the construction by Thomas Garnet and Sons, a local firm responsible for many landmarks of the area, including the 1927 addition to the Port Hope High School. [5] [6]

In 1945 the Capitol Theatre was sold to Premier theatres. Premier continued to operate the theatre until February 1987, when declining profits led to the decision to put the Capitol up for sale in 1986. The last movies to be shown were Assassination and Firewalker , following which the seats were removed due to it being one of the conditions of sale. [3]

After the Friends of the Capitol Theatre failed to get off the ground in the late 1980s; In 1994, a small group of local citizens formed the Capitol Theatre Heritage Foundation, a not-for-profit group, led by Rod Stewart. The group subsequently raised $1.6 million for the initial restoration of the Capitol Theatre. The Foundation was also tasked with seeking Heritage Designation for the building. [7]

Another $3 million was raised in 2002 for an expansion and further renovation. [3] The construction phase of the project was completed by 2004-2005, when the new Cameco Capitol Arts Centre opened to the public.

In 2013, funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation allowed the Capitol Theatre to upgrade the projection room from 35mm films to digital projection – allowing the theatre to continue to screen new releases. [8] [9]

Currently, the Capitol Theatre (which also operates under the title "Cameco Capitol Arts Centre"), operates as both a movie theatre and hosts live stage productions; and is run by staff with the assistance of a large base of volunteers. [10] The theatre was designated a National Historic Site on July 4, 2016. [11] A federal plaque reflecting its status was unveiled in a ceremony on November 15, 2017. [12]

Architecture

Common in theatre design at the time of the construction of the Capitol Theatre was the layout of a small entrance frontage and a long narrow lobby with the auditorium opening out behind street-front stores. This was because taxes were based on street frontage, land for the larger auditorium was cheaper on back lots and a long narrow lobby connecting the entrance to the auditorium worked well for ticket line-ups. as a theatre built exclusively for talking pictures, it had a small stage, low rake to the floor, no back-stage facilities, a minimal number of washrooms and limited lobby space.

Built at the beginning of the [Great Depression in Canada], the capitol was designed as an atmospheric movie theatre, a low cost, highly visual Theatre design. Twilight sky, hanging vines and castellated battlements are all part of the Norman Courtyard design; [13] an outdoor illusion, enhanced by clouds projected on to the seamless ceiling by a Brenograph (an innovative machine of the 1920s).

The facade begins the illusion that one is approaching a medieval castle with its leaded, diamond paned windows. The exterior Egyptian-motif "Capitol" sign is original to the theatre. It was, apparently erected on instructions from Famous Players, and was not in the original designs. The projecting marquee emulates a drawbridge to the outer lobby with its stenciled detail, faux painted walls and original terrazzo floor, show boards and ticket window.

The Art Deco influence of the 1930s construction period is most evident in the paint colours and stencils used in the lobby and auditorium. From the inner lobby with its original furniture, one ascends the steps to the auditorium where frescoed walls and ceiling suggest one is sitting in a medieval castle courtyard, which was created with the use of faux plaster work walls that are finished in 17 different colours.

Ceiling plaster was applied in one continuous operation by recruiting a large team of plasterers from miles around, who worked around the clock standing on cedar pole scaffolding, to obtain a seamless sky before the plaster had a chance to dry. Much of the artwork was rendered not in paint but in wet coloured plaster, according to the traditional fresco method. In the trade, these theatres were sometimes called "soft tops" since the illusion was of no ceiling—of being out of doors. Stencils on the proscenium arch are original, as are the wall lanterns.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Port Hope, Ontario</span> Municipality in Ontario, Canada

Port Hope is a municipality in Southern Ontario, Canada, approximately 109 km (68 mi) east of Toronto and about 159 km (99 mi) west of Kingston. It is located at the mouth of the Ganaraska River on the north shore of Lake Ontario, in the west end of Northumberland County. The private Trinity College School opened here in 1868.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northumberland County, Ontario</span> County in Ontario, Canada

Northumberland County is an upper-tier municipality situated on the north shore of Lake Ontario, east of Toronto in Central Ontario. The Northumberland County headquarters are located in Cobourg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fox Theatre (Detroit)</span> Theater and former movie theater in Detroit, Michigan, US

The Fox Theatre is a performing arts center located at 2211 Woodward Avenue in Downtown Detroit, Michigan, near the Grand Circus Park Historic District. Opened in 1928 as a flagship movie palace in the Fox Theatres chain, it was at over 5,000 seats the largest theater in the city. Designed by theater architect C. Howard Crane, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Capitol, Melbourne</span> Historic theatre in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

The Capitol is an historic theatre on Swanston Street in the central business district (CBD) of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Opened in 1924 as part of the Capitol House building, the art deco theatre was designed by American husband and wife architects Walter Burley and Marion Mahony Griffin, and is the oldest of Melbourne's large picture palaces. It is famous for its extravagant decor and abstract motifs, including an intricate geometric ceiling containing thousands of coloured lamps, designed to evoke the walls of a crystalline cave.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Capitol Theatre, Sydney</span> Theatre in Sydney, Australia

The Capitol Theatre is a heritage-listed theatre located at 3-15 Campbell Street, Haymarket, in the Sydney central business district, Australia. It was designed by Henry Eli White and John Eberson and built from 1893 to 1928. The property was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. The former circus venue, atmospheric theatre and market venue in owned by Capitol Theatre Management Pty Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Foundation Theatres Pty Limited. Foundation Theatres owns the Sydney Lyric and Capitol Theatre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Runnymede Theatre</span> Former theater in Toronto, Canada

The Runnymede Theatre is a historic building located in Bloor West Village, an affluent west end Toronto neighbourhood. The building has operated as a vaudeville theatre, a movie theatre, a bingo hall, and a Chapters bookstore. The building is now a Shoppers Drug Mart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arcata Theatre</span>

The Arcata Theatre Lounge is a historic structure located in the city of Arcata in Humboldt County, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atmospheric theatre</span> Type of movie theater

An atmospheric theatre is a type of movie palace design which was popular in the late 1920s. Atmospheric theatres were designed and decorated to evoke the feeling of a particular time and place for patrons, through the use of projectors, architectural elements and ornamentation that evoked a sense of being outdoors. This was intended to make the patron a more active participant in the setting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palace Theatre (Albany, New York)</span>

The Palace Theatre is an entertainment venue in downtown Albany, New York, located on the corner of Clinton Avenue and North Pearl Street. The theatre is operated by the Palace Performing Arts Center, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Established in 1984 and incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation in 1989, the Palace Performing Arts Center, Inc. was created to operate the theatre and utilize its full potential as a cultural and entertainment center in Albany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rialto Theater (Tacoma, Washington)</span> United States historic place

The Rialto Theatre in Tacoma, Washington was built in 1918 to showcase movies. Its design reflects the affluence following World War I. It reflects the character of a palace and is the result of efforts by entrepreneur Henry T. Moore and Tacoma architect Roland E. Borhek. Designed to hold 1500 patrons and retail space. The two-and-a-half-story structure is in the historic downtown of Tacoma. The area has long been associated with theaters and entertainment. The theater is freestanding, with a dramatic view on an incline with a classical façade sheathed of glazed white terra cotta. Both the interior and exterior retain most of the original design of Roland E. Borhek. The theater has an auditorium, proscenium with stage, a relocated projection booth, balcony, lobby, and commercial space. It has been altered with the removal of the storefronts and marquee. On the inside, the lobby's decorative ceiling has been hidden and the concession areas expanded.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orpheum Theatre (Wichita, Kansas)</span> United States historic place

The Orpheum Theatre is a historic theater in downtown Wichita, Kansas, United States. It was designed by renowned theatre architect John Eberson with funding from a group of local investors and opened on September 4, 1922.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paradise Theater (Bronx)</span> Former theater and concert venue in the Bronx, New York

The Paradise Theater, formerly Loew's Paradise Theatre, is a movie palace-type theater located at 2417 Grand Concourse in the Bronx, New York. Constructed in 1929 at the height of grand movie theaters, in the later 20th century the building was used also for live entertainment. It was leased in 2012 for use by the World Changers Church International New York for founding a local congregation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RKO Keith's Theater (Flushing, Queens)</span> Former movie theater in Queens, New York

The RKO Keith's Theater was an RKO Pictures movie theater at 129-43 Northern Boulevard in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens in New York City. It was designed by architect Thomas W. Lamb and built in 1928. While the RKO Keith's had a plain three-story facade, its interior was elaborately designed in a Spanish Baroque Revival style. The theater had a square ticket lobby and an oval grand foyer, which led to the double-level auditorium. The auditorium was designed as an atmospheric theater with a blue ceiling and gilded-plaster decorations; it contained 2,974 seats across two levels. There were also four lounges and a mezzanine promenade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Capitol Theater (Burlington, Iowa)</span> United States historic place

The Capitol Theater was a 700-seat theater in Burlington, Iowa. Opened in 1937, with the first showing being Mark Twain's classic The Prince and the Pauper. The theater was both a movie theater and an auditorium used for performances. The theater closed in March 1977, the final showing was the Stephen King horror classic Carrie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rialto Cinema, Dunedin</span> Multiplex cinema in Dunedin, New Zealand

The Rialto Cinema is a multiplex cinema located in the New Zealand city of Dunedin. It was opened in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indiana Theatre (Terre Haute, Indiana)</span> United States historic place

The Indiana Theatre is a historic theater in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 13, 1997 and is located in the Wabash Avenue-East Historic District. It opened on January 28, 1922. The theatre was built by Terre Haute resident T. W. Barhydt and was designed by John Eberson. Eberson, who later developed the atmospheric theater style of movie palace, first experimented with atmospheric design elements at the theatre. Eberson stated, "Into this Indiana Theatre I have put my very best efforts and endeavors in the art of designing a modern theatre such as I have often pictured as what I would do were I given a free hand." Through this quote Eberson suggests that the Indiana Theatre embodies the raw beginning of his experiment with a "dream" theater that marked the beginning shift to his atmospheric style.

EverGreene Architectural Arts (EverGreene) is the largest specialty contractor in the U.S., providing design, restoration, conservation, and adaptive reuse services to commercial, government, institutional, sacred, and theater clients. Established in 1978 by Jeff Greene, EverGreene has grown from a small mural painting studio to a company of artists, conservators, craftsmen, and designers that work throughout the United States and abroad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plaza Theatre, Paddington</span> Historic site in Queensland, Australia

Plaza Theatre is a heritage-listed, former cinema at 163–169 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Richard Gailey, Junior and built from 1929 to c. 1929 by John Hutchinson. It is now known as Empire Revival, an antiques and homewares store. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 28 March 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palace Theatre (Marion, Ohio)</span> Theater and movie theater in Marion, Ohio, United States

The Marion Palace Theatre is a movie palace constructed in 1928 in Marion, Ohio, United States for the Young Amusement Company. The original cost of the project was $500,000. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places because of its significance to the atmospheric theatre architectural style popular in the United States during the 1920s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Capitol Theatre (Windsor, Ontario)</span> Historic theatre in Windsor, Ontario, Canada

The Capitol Theatre is a historic theatre in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Opened on December 30, 1920, by the Loew Theater Company owned by Marcus Loew at a cost of approximately CA$600,000. Designed by Toronto architect Thomas White Lamb, it was the largest single floor theatre in Canada at the time, with 1,995 seats.

References

  1. ↑ "History of the Capitol Theatre". www.capitoltheatre.com. Archived from the original on 25 April 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  2. ↑ "History of the Capitol Theatre". www.capitoltheatre.com. Archived from the original on 25 April 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Capitol Theatre (Port Hope, Ont.)". Archeion. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  4. ↑ Nasmith, Cecilia (8 May 2013). "Capitol is unique atmospheric theatre, scholar says". Northumberland Today. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  5. ↑ "Port Hope History - Thomas Garnett". porthopehistory.com. Retrieved 2018-01-24.
  6. ↑ "Port Hope History - Capitol Theatre". www.porthopehistory.com. Retrieved 2018-01-24.
  7. ↑ "18-22 Queen Street" (PDF). Heritage Port Hope. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  8. ↑ "The Capitol Theatre Heritage Foundation". Ontario Trillium Foundation. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  9. ↑ "Digital movies at Capitol". Northumberland Today. 6 May 2013. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  10. ↑ Ed, Jon (19 April 2010). "Right from the time the Capitol Theatre was renovated and reopened in the 1990s volunteers have played an essential role". Northumberland Today. Capitol Theatre. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  11. ↑ Port Hope Capitol Theatre Archived July 5, 2016, at the Wayback Machine , Parks Canada backgrounder, July 4, 2016
  12. ↑ The Government of Canada Commemorates the National Historic Significance of the Port Hope Capitol Theatre, Parks Canada news release, November 15, 2017
  13. ↑ Nasmith, Cecilia (8 May 2013). "Capitol is unique atmospheric theatre, scholar says". Northumberland Today. Retrieved 30 April 2016.

43°57′04″N78°17′35″W / 43.95099°N 78.2931°W / 43.95099; -78.2931

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.