The Garden Theatre is a refurbished, historic theatre located at 160 West Plant Street in

Winter Garden, Florida Winter Garden is a city west of Downtown Orlando in the western part of Orange County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its population was 46,051 as of 2019. History ...

. The Garden Theatre, which hosts over 200 events a season, including professional level theatre, music, dance, and films. The Garden Theatre serves as the primary

performing arts center Performing arts center/centre (see spelling differences), often abbreviated as PAC, is used to refer to: * A multi-use performance space that is intended for use by various types of the performing arts, including dance, music and theatre. :The ...

for the Winter Garden area.

History

The theatre first opened in December 1935 as a single screen cinema and was the first in Central Florida built for "

talkies A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades passed before ...

". Several renovations changed the face of the theatre until it closed in 1963, as movie attendance declined in the new age of

television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...

. Soon after, the site became a farming supply store, where the interior seating was removed and the sloped floor was filled and leveled with cement. In 2002 the City of Winter Garden purchased the site and the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation, a 501(c)(3)

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

, began restoration of the theatre.

Theater architecture

The Winter Garden Heritage Foundation acquired the building January 1, 2004 through an operating agreement with the City of Winter Garden. The warmly-lit interior of the 299-seat theatre has

Mediterranean revival architecture Mediterranean Revival is an architectural style introduced in the United States, Canada, and certain other countries in the 19th century. It incorporated references from Spanish Renaissance, Spanish Colonial, Italian Renaissance, French Colonial ...

with a Spanish tile courtyard, "Romeo and Juliet" balconies, and lanterns in the windows over the proscenium arch with

palm trees Palm most commonly refers to: * Palm of the hand, the central region of the front of the hand * Palm plants, of family Arecaceae **List of Arecaceae genera * Several other plants known as "palm" Palm or Palms may also refer to: Music * Palm (ba ...

decorating either side of it. The theatre newly features a 12’ X 24’ screen with a digital projector and a full-service box office and concession stand. The ceiling of the theatre was dark blue, resplendent with stars. In 2008, the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation completed the restoration of the Garden Theatre. Restoration brought the Garden Theatre back to its original architectural simplicity, in keeping with the character and revitalization of historic downtown Winter Garden, making the building an authentic period piece.

References

{{Coord, 28.5650, N, 81.5874, W, region:US-FL_type:landmark, display=title Mediterranean Revival architecture in Florida Buildings and structures in Orange County, Florida Theatres in Florida Tourist attractions in Orange County, Florida Winter Garden, Florida 1935 establishments in Florida