The Carolina Theatre of Greensboro is Greensboro, North Carolina's only remaining historic theatre. It was billed as “The Showplace of the Carolinas” when it opened on Halloween night, 1927. The 2,200 seat structure was built for the Saenger-Publix Company, cost over $500,000 to build and was one of the first commercial buildings to be air conditioned in the state. Early programs featured live performances, the Carolina Theatre Orchestra, the Carolina News newsreel, audience sing-alongs and silent films accompanied on the Robert Morton

theatre organ A theatre organ (also known as a theater organ, or, especially in the United Kingdom, a cinema organ) is a type of pipe organ developed to accompany silent films, from the 1900s to the 1920s. Theatre organs have horseshoe-shaped arrangements o ...

. Saenger installed a

Vitaphone Vitaphone was a sound film system used for feature films and nearly 1,000 short subjects made by Warner Bros. and its sister studio First National from 1926 to 1931. Vitaphone was the last major analog sound-on-disc system and the only one th ...

sound system in 1928. The first "talkies" attracted sellout crowds. The first movie with sound shown at the Carolina was ''

Glorious Betsy ''Glorious Betsy'' is a 1928 silent film with talking sequences. It is based on the 1908 play of the same name by Rida Johnson Young, and it stars Dolores Costello. It was produced by Warner Bros. and nominated for an Academy Award for Best Wr ...

'' starring

Conrad Nagle John Conrad Nagel (March 16, 1897 – February 24, 1970) was an American film, stage, television and radio actor. He was considered a famous matinée idol and leading man of the 1920s and 1930s. He was given an Academy Honorary Award in 1940 and ...

in 1928. ''

The Jazz Singer ''The Jazz Singer'' is a 1927 American musical drama film directed by Alan Crosland. It is the first feature-length motion picture with both synchronized recorded music score as well as lip-synchronous singing and speech (in several isolated ...

'' was shown next. When constructed, the auditorium had a segregated balcony plus a mezzanine. Black patrons entered by a separate stairway and could only sit in the balcony. As late as May, 1963, the theatre was segregated. On May 15, 1963, students from North Carolina A&T University and Bennett College blocked the theatre's entrance when they were refused entrance. By the early 1970s, the theatre had declined and was slated for demolition by its owner, Jefferson Pilot Corporation, now

Lincoln National Corporation Lincoln National Corporation is a ''Fortune'' 200 American holding company, which operates multiple insurance and investment management businesses through subsidiary companies. Lincoln Financial Group is the marketing name for LNC and its subsi ...

. The United Arts Council of Greensboro raised $550,000 to purchase the building from Jefferson Pilot at a bargain price. The United Arts Council refurbished the Theatre before reopening it as a community arts performing arts center in 1978. In 1981, a mentally disturbed woman started a fire at the theatre and neecessitated a second refurbishment. The balcony was closed and later new lighting and sound systems installed. In its present configuration, the theatre seats 1,101. Today, the Carolina Theatre is owned and operated by Carolina Theatre of Greensboro, Incorporated – a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation. Brian Gray is currently Executive Director of the corporation. The theatre is home to the

Greensboro Ballet Greensboro Ballet is a professional ballet company in North Carolina. It is the only ballet company in the Piedmont Triad. It is one of the only non-profit ballet companies in North Carolina. Greensboro Ballet has presented works by George Balanc ...

. Community Theatre of Greensboro mounts its annual production of ''The Wizard of Oz'' every November at The Carolina. With the exception of several public grants for restoration and maintenance, the Theatre operates on its own receipts and private contributions. Current programming includes classic and artistic movies, touring performers and companies, local theatre and dance productions, and other nonprofit and corporate uses. CTOG, Inc. is a member of the League of Historic American Theatres and North Carolina Presenters Consortium. A renovation campaign to raise $2.5 million was announced September 14, 2017, with renovations complete in October 2018. It is on Green Street

References

Guidestar link to IRS 99

External links

Carolina Theatre of Greensboro WebsiteNorth Carolina Presenters ConsortiumLeague of Historic American Theatres Inventory Cinema Treasures article on Carolina Theatre of Greensboro
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carolina Theatre Of Greensboro Buildings and structures in Greensboro, North Carolina Tourist attractions in Greensboro, North Carolina Theatres in Greensboro, North Carolina Music venues in North Carolina Opera houses in North Carolina Dance in North Carolina Cinemas and movie theaters in North Carolina