Union County Performing Arts Center

Last updated
Rahway Theatre
Rahway theatre.jpg
Facade of the Rahway Theatre
Location map of Union County, New Jersey.svg
Red pog.svg
USA New Jersey location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location1601 Irving St., Rahway, New Jersey
Coordinates 40°36′37″N74°16′39″W / 40.61028°N 74.27750°W / 40.61028; -74.27750
Built1927 (1927)
ArchitectDavid M Oltarsh
Architectural styleClassical Revival
Website www.ucpac.org
NRHP reference No. 86001509
NJRHP No.2714 [1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPAugust 13, 1986
Designated NJRHPJune 24, 1986
Panorama of the Hamilton Stage complex at the Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway Panorama of the Hamilton Stage at UCPAC.jpg
Panorama of the Hamilton Stage complex at the Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway
Box office at the Hamilton Stage for the Performing Arts at UCPAC in Rahway Hamilton Stage for the Performing Arts in Rahway, New Jersey.jpg
Box office at the Hamilton Stage for the Performing Arts at UCPAC in Rahway

Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC), formerly the "movie palace" known as the Rahway Theatre, is a non-profit performance venue in Rahway, New Jersey, a small city west of Staten Island that was recently named "#2 Best Small Town Arts Scene" in the country by USA Today. [2] As of the early 2020s, downtown Rahway has become a regional hub in the performing and visual arts. [3] It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. [4]

Contents


History

It was founded as the vaudeville venue and silent movie house Rahway Theater in 1928 as an ornate movie palace. [5] It contains an original, working, fully restored [6] Wurlitzer pipe organ which was placed on the American Theatre Organ Society's National Registry of Significant Instruments. [7] It is an example of "Movie Palace" architecture, designed in the classical revival style by New York architect David M. Oltarsh.

In 2006, at the behest of Rahway's then-mayor James J. Kennedy, the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders invested $6.2 million in the renovation of the UCPAC Mainstage (Rahway Theater). The building fell into dilapidation as a movie house in the 1970s. It was reopened by local nonprofit preservation group in 1984, [8] and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.

Facilities

The UCPAC campus includes four performance spaces:

Mainstage

Capacity: 1334

Hamilton Stage

Renovated in 2023-24 and built in 2012 abutting the Rahway River several hundred feet to the west of Mainstage, the Hamilton Stage features a new fully equipped proscenium theater.

Capacity: 199

The Loft at Mainstage

Capacity: 65. Built in 2008, the Loft at UCPAC is located on the 2nd floor addition of the UCPAC Mainstage.

The Fazioli Room at Hamilton Stage

This 40’ x 60’ rehearsal space has floor-to-ceiling conservatory windows and wall-length mirrors on one side. It holds 55–75 (at maximum).

This room contains a Fazioli piano, one of only two in New Jersey. [9]

The Café at UCPAC

Hosts the Jazz Club at UCPAC.

Programming

Well-known music and comedy acts have included Johnny Cash, Martina McBride, Willie Nelson, B.B. King, Joan Jett, Joan Rivers, Louie Anderson, Sinbad, Cedric the Entertainer, Pat Benatar, Kenny Rogers, Lance Bass, Eddie Money, En Vogue, Starship, Otown, Aaron Carter, Ryan Cabrera, Bowling for Soup, Vanessa Williams, [10] Doug E. Fresh, Mark McGrath and Slick Rick. [11] [12]

Film

The Main Stage at UCPAC in Rahway, as a former "classic movie palace," is the only New Jersey theater showing classic 35mm films, generally preceded by organ performances on the venue's original Wurlitzer theater organ. [13]

Rahway Arts District

The UCPAC area hosts many art galleries, converted industrial warehouse spaces, and rehearsal/studio space. In 2020, downtown Rahway received accolades as a Great Downtown by the APA:

"Downtown Rahway is a great place. It is a place that emphasizes livability, walkability, shopping, food, art, diversity and a destination. Centered in the heart of the bustling City of Rahway, next to the NJ Transit Station, Rahway's downtown is the building block for this diverse city." [14]

The Willows Residence for the Arts

The city of Rahway and UCPAC in association with the Actors Fund has built safe affordable housing for artists only. Tenant applicants need to submit a portfolio of work to indicate their vocation and be assigned to a waitlist. [15]

Transportation

UCPAC is walking distance to the direct train at Rahway Station to New York Penn Station. The ride is 38 minutes.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Union County, New Jersey</span> County in New Jersey, United States

Union County is a county in the northern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the county was the state's seventh-most-populous county with a population of 575,345, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 38,846 (+7.2%) from the 2010 census count of 536,499. Its county seat is Elizabeth, which is also the most populous municipality in the county, with a 2020 census population of 137,298, and the largest by area, covering 13.46 square miles (34.9 km2). The county serves as a transition point between the Central Jersey and North Jersey regions of the state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rahway, New Jersey</span> City in Union County, New Jersey, US

Rahway is a city in southern Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. A bedroom community of New York City, it is centrally located in the Rahway Valley region, in the New York metropolitan area. The city is 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Manhattan and 5 miles (8.0 km) west of Staten Island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alabama Theatre</span> Movie theatre in Birmingham, Alabama, USA

The Alabama Theatre is a movie palace in Birmingham, Alabama. It was built in 1927 by Paramount's Publix Theatres chain as its flagship theater for the southeastern region of the United States. Seating 2,500 people at the time, it was the largest in the Birmingham theater district. The district was once home to many large theaters and movie palaces that featured vaudeville, performing arts, nickelodeons and Hollywood films. Built to show silent films, the Alabama still features its original Wurlitzer theater organ. The Alabama Theatre and Lyric Theatre are the district's only remaining theaters, and as of 2024, both are in operation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stanley Theater (Jersey City, New Jersey)</span> Theater in Jersey City, New Jersey, United States

The Stanley Theater at Kennedy Boulevard and Pavonia Avenue is near Journal Square in Jersey City, New Jersey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loew's Jersey Theatre</span> Theater in Jersey City, New Jersey

The Loew's Jersey Theatre is a theater in Jersey City, New Jersey. Opened in 1929, it was one of the five Loew's Wonder Theatres, a series of flagship Loew's movie palaces in the New York City area. It was designed by the architectural firm of Rapp and Rapp in a Baroque/Rococo style. Tri-plexed in 1974, and then closed in 1986, it was dark for years. It was purchased by the city in 1993 and has been operated by a volunteer organization, the Friends of the Loews, since that time. The theater was designated as a New Jersey Registered Historic Site in 2009. In a move opposed by Friends of the Loews, the city in June 2014, agreed to let AEG Live operate the venue. After going to court, the lease by Friends of the Loews remains in effect. In 2022, a $72 million restoration project was started by Devils Arena Entertainment, a division of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment that operates the Prudential Center, with completion being expected by 2025.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warner Theatre (Erie, Pennsylvania)</span> Theater in Erie, Pennsylvania

The Warner Theatre is an Art Deco and French Renaissance-styled theater located in downtown Erie, Pennsylvania in the United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. The Warner was designed by Chicago-architects Rapp and Rapp and was opened in 1931. It was used as a movie theater until 1976, when it was sold to the City of Erie. In the early 1980s, Erie converted the theater to a performing arts center, which has become the focus of a downtown revival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paramount Theatre (Seattle)</span> Performance hall in Seattle, Washington

The Paramount Theatre is a 2,807-seat performing arts venue located at 9th Avenue and Pine Street in the downtown core of Seattle, Washington, United States. The theater originally opened on March 1, 1928, as the Seattle Theatre, with 3,000 seats. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 9, 1974, and has also been designated a City of Seattle landmark.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paramount Theatre (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)</span> United States historic place

The Paramount Theatre is a 1,693-seat theater in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. In 2015 it was included as a contributing property in the Cedar Rapids Central Business District Commercial Historic District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Count Basie Center for the Arts</span> Theater in Red Bank, New Jersey, United States

The Count Basie Center for the Arts, originally Count Basie Theatre, is a landmarked performing arts center in Red Bank, New Jersey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orpheum Theatre (Memphis)</span> Theatre in Memphis, Tennessee

The Orpheum Theatre, a 2,308-seat venue listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is located in downtown Memphis, Tennessee, on the southwest corner of the intersection of South Main and Beale streets. The Orpheum, along with the Halloran Centre for Performing Arts & Education, compose the Orpheum Theatre Group, a community-supported nonprofit corporation that operates and maintains the venues and presents education programs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coconut Grove Playhouse</span> Theatre in Miami, Florida, United States

The Coconut Grove Playhouse was a theatre in the Coconut Grove neighborhood of Miami, Florida, United States. The building was originally constructed as a movie theater called the Player's State Theater. It opened on January 1, 1927, as a part of the Paramount chain. The movie house was designed by the architect Richard Kiehnel of Kiehnel and Elliott. It was built by local realtors Irving J. Thomas and Fin L. Pierce. Albert Peacock was the contractor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paramount Theatre (Denver)</span> United States historic place

The Paramount Theatre is a concert venue in Denver, Colorado, located on Glenarm Place, near Denver's famous 16th Street Mall. The venue has a seating capacity of 1,870 but is a popular destination for large acts looking for a smaller concert setting. With spelling as Paramount Theater, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saenger Theatre (Mobile, Alabama)</span> Theater in Mobile, Alabama, United States

The Saenger Theatre is a historic theater and contributing building to the Lower Dauphin Street Historic District in Mobile, Alabama. It was dedicated in January 1927. The Saenger Theatre is a Mobile landmark, known for its architecture and ties to local cultural history. The theater has been completely renovated in recent years with an upgraded electrical system, VIP facilities, new stage rigging and sound system. It is the official home of the Mobile Symphony Orchestra and also serves as the venue for movie festivals, concerts, lectures and special events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Morton Organ Company</span>

The Robert Morton Organ Company was an American producer of theater pipe organs and church organs, located in Van Nuys, California. Robert Morton was the number two volume producer of theatre organs, building approximately half as many organs as the industry leader Wurlitzer. The name Robert Morton was derived not from any person in the company, but rather from the name of company president Harold J. Werner's son, Robert Morton Werner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palace Theatre (Columbus, Ohio)</span> Performing arts center in Columbus, Ohio, a former movie theater

The Palace Theatre is a 2,695-seat restored movie palace located at 34 W. Broad Street in Columbus, Ohio. It was designed and built in 1926 by the American architect Thomas W. Lamb as part of the American Insurance Union Citadel. Today the theater functions as a multi-use performing arts venue. It is owned and operated by The Columbus Association for the Performing Arts. The Palace Theater's "house" is considered separate from LeVeque Tower, while the marquee and lobby are part of the LeVeque complex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernie Anderson Jr.</span> Musical artist

Bernie Anderson Jr. is a silent film music composer, organist and orchestrator. He has presented live accompaniments for silent films, with theatre organ and piano since 1995. He is also active in the preservation and restoration of Movie Palaces, Theatre organs and Classic Film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bergen Performing Arts Center</span> Nonprofit theater in New Jersey, U.S.

The Bergen Performing Arts Center (BergenPAC) is a not-for-profit theater in Englewood, New Jersey. There are dance, theater, voice, and music classes offered year round at The Performing Arts School at BergenPAC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parkway Theatre (Baltimore)</span> Movie theater in Baltimore, Maryland, US

The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Parkway, or simply the Parkway, is a movie theater located at 5 West North Avenue in Baltimore, Maryland. The Parkway is open as of May 3, 2017, and is the new permanent home of MdFF. The Maryland Film Festival, a 5-day annual festival created and operated by MdFF, is housed in and around the Parkway and throughout the Station North Arts and Entertainment District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DeBartolo Performing Arts Center</span> Building in Indiana, United States

The Marie P. DeBartolo Performing Arts Center (DPAC) is a performing arts venue located on the south end of the University of Notre Dame campus and open to the South Bend, Indiana, and wider community. The 150,000 square foot facility, which opened in September 2004, was financed in large part by a gift from Edward J. DeBartolo Sr., and the building was named in honor of his wife. The current executive director of the facility is Ted Barron. In addition to performance spaces, the building also contains offices, teaching spaces, and production facilities for Notre Dame's Department of Film, Television, and Theatre, as well as for the Department of Music, the Department of Sacred Music, and the Shakespeare at Notre Dame program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cranford Theater</span> 1926 movie theater in New Jersey, US

The Cranford Theater is an independently owned movie theater in Cranford, New Jersey, United States that has been in operation since 1926.

References

  1. "New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places – Union County" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection – Historic Preservation Office. November 28, 2016. p. 9. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 16, 2014. Retrieved 2016-12-10.
  2. "16 Free Outdoor Art Events In Rahway This Summer". NewJerseyStage.com. 2021-06-20. Retrieved 2021-07-24.
  3. NJ.com, Brianna Kudisch | NJ Advance Media for (2020-02-15). "This small N.J. city has been quietly reinventing itself into an arts hub". nj. Retrieved 2021-07-24.
  4. "NATIONAL REGISTER DIGITAL ASSETS". focus.nps.gov. Retrieved 2016-12-10.
  5. 1928 Wurlitzer pipe organ that 'saved' Union County arts center plays again http://s.nj.com/YcwCJSU.
  6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHfgA6dVUcQ&sns=tw via @youtube
  7. "ATOS National Registry | ATOS". www.atos.org. Retrieved 2016-12-10.
  8. "Freeholders Unveil Arts Center".
  9. At a Jazz Series, a Piano Also Stars https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/nyregion/at-a-nj-jazz-series-a-fazioli-piano-also-stars.html
  10. Union County Performing Arts Center welcomes Vanessa Williams on Nov. 25 http://s.nj.com/YIqoRVN
  11. Hip-hop legends will 'Get Fresh' at UCPAC in Rahway on May 15 http://s.nj.com/wkeIpQg
  12. Cranford Local Magazine. UCPAC Ready to Expand Shows Post-Pandemic: New Leadership Sees Promising Times Ahead. April 2022 https://view.flipdocs.com/?ID=10027841_558050
  13. "35mm Classic Film Series -". ucpac.org. August 3, 2023.
  14. "Congratulations to our 2020 Great Places in New Jersey Designees | Great Places in New Jersey" . Retrieved 2021-07-24.
  15. "Artist housing gains final site plan approval". 21 March 2016.