The Annie Russell Theatre is a historic

theater Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actor, actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The p ...

in Winter Park,

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. The theatre was named after the

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

-born actress

Annie Russell Annie may refer to: People and fictional characters * Annie (given name), a given name and a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Annie (actress) (born 1975), Indian actress * Annie (singer) (born 1977), Norwegian singer The ...

. It was designed by the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

-born

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

Richard Kiehnel of

Kiehnel and Elliott The architectural firm of Kiehnel and Elliot was established in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1906. The firm did substantial work in Florida, and moved to Miami in 1922. From 1926, it was known as Kiehnel, Elliot and Chalfant. Richard Kiehnel ( ...

and constructed in 1931. It is located on the premises of

Rollins College Rollins College is a private college in Winter Park, Florida. It was founded in November 1885 and has about 30 undergraduate majors and several graduate programs. It is Florida's fourth oldest post-secondary institution. History Rollins Colle ...

. On July 15, 1998, it was added to the

U.S. The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

History

Russell emigrated to the

when at an early age. After a lengthy acting career in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

, she relocated to

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

when she retired, however quickly changed her mind and moved to Winter Park in 1923. Shortly thereafter, she began teaching at Rollins College, continuing to do so until she died of lung disease in 1936. The theatre is rumored to be haunted. Visitors to the theatre have claimed to have seen a female apparition in the second story changing room. However, due to recent structural modifications, this room can no longer be accessed.,

References

External links

Orange County listings
a
National Register of Historic Places

Annie Russell Theatre
a
Florida's Office of Cultural and Historical Programs

2009-10-25) a
Archived
2009-10-25)
Annie Russell Theatre
a
Rollins College Department of Theatre & Dance

at ttp://www.stpete.org City of St. Petersburg National Register of Historic Places in Orange County, Florida Theatres on the National Register of Historic Places in Florida Rollins College Buildings and structures in Winter Park, Florida Tourist attractions in Orange County, Florida Theatres completed in 1931 Kiehnel and Elliott buildings {{US-theat-struct-stub