The Imperial Theatre is an 853-seat

theater Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors to present experiences of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The performers may communi ...

located in downtown

Augusta, Georgia Augusta is a city on the central eastern border of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. The city lies directly across the Savannah River from North Augusta, South Carolina at the head of its navigable portion. Augusta, the third mos ...

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. The theater opened on February 18, 1918. It is named after the Imperial Theatre in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

History

Augusta's Imperial Theatre began in 1917 as a vaudeville showcase named The Wells Theatre. It was founded by impresario Jake Wells and was designed by architect G. Lloyd Preacher in the Victorian Renaissance style for a total cost of $47,792.00. Below are price listings for opening night. Prices for opening night, February 18, 1918: * Matinee: $0.10 and $0.20 * Evening: $0.15 * Orchestra $0.35 * Balcony: First Section: $0.35, Remainder: $0.25, Gallery (Colored Section) $0.15 The Wells Becomes The Imperial On Sunday, October 6, 1918, over 3,000 cases of Spanish Flu were reported. With the death of 52 servicemen from a local military camp (now known as

Fort Eisenhower Fort Gordon, formerly known as Fort Eisenhower and Camp Gordon, is a United States Army installation established southwest of Augusta, Georgia in October 1941. It is the current home of the United States Army Signal Corps, United States Army Cy ...

), the city announced the closure of all public venues, including the theatre. The quarantine began October 7, and during this time Jake Wells encountered great financial difficulties. He sold The Wells to Lynch Enterprises. On November 27, 1918, shortly after the sell, the quarantine is lifted. Two weeks later the theatre opened under the name of Jake Wells with The B. F. Keith Supreme Vaudeville Co. After the acquisition of several other local theatres by Lynch Enterprises, The Wells Theatre's was changed to The Imperial Theatre. In 1929, as vaudevillian acts decreased in popularity and motion pictures enjoyed meteoric success, Miller decided to renovate the Imperial into a full-time movie house in the popular art deco style. In March 1936 "The Trail of the Lonesome Pine," starring

Henry Fonda Henry Jaynes Fonda (May 16, 1905 – August 12, 1982) was an American actor whose career spanned five decades on Broadway theatre, Broadway and in Hollywood. On screen and stage, he often portrayed characters who embodied an everyman image. Bo ...

and

Fred MacMurray Frederick Martin MacMurray (August 30, 1908 – November 5, 1991) was an American actor. He appeared in more than one hundred films and a successful television series in a career that spanned nearly a half-century. His career as a major film le ...

, became the first color film to be shown at the Imperial. It is in the Broad Street Historical District and is listed on the National Register as important to the character of the entire district. Due to the decline of the downtown area, the Imperial continued as a film theatre until it closed in 1981. In 1985, it was recognized for its architectural significance and reopened as a performing arts venue with the help of local performing arts groups like the Augusta Ballet and the Augusta Players. Today the Imperial Theatre is a vibrant arena for entertainment, with a full season of musicals, dance, concerts, comedy and more. It is noted in the National Register as critical to the character of the Broad Street Historic District. Currently, the Imperial is the only operating historic theatre in Augusta. Today, the Imperial is still the home for the Augusta Ballet, the Augusta Players, as well as the Morris Museum of Art's Southern Soul + Song Series, Storyland Theatre, Dance Augusta, Columbia County Ballet, Ed Turner and the Number 9 Band, Westobou Festival events and the Poison Peach Film Festival. Among the earliest recorded appearances was the visit of

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is considered o ...

, who appeared at the theatre on April 18, 1918, selling Liberty war bonds. Included in this bill of fare was Leo Carrillo, who later became the Cisco Kid's partner, Pancho; and the famous ballet dancer

Anna Pavlova Anna Pavlovna Pavlova. (born Anna Matveyevna Pavlova; – 23 January 1931) was a Russian prima ballerina. She was a principal artist of the Imperial Russian Ballet and the Ballets Russes of Sergei Diaghilev, but is most recognized for creating ...

References

{{Reflist

External links

Imperial Theatre
— official website *
Theatre and Democracy
' - Segment from

C-SPAN Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network (C-SPAN ) is an American Cable television in the United States, cable and Satellite television in the United States, satellite television network, created in 1979 by the cable television industry as a Non ...

's '' Alexis de Tocqueville Tour'' Buildings and structures in Augusta, Georgia Culture of Augusta, Georgia Tourist attractions in Augusta, Georgia Theatres on the National Register of Historic Places in Georgia (U.S. state) National Register of Historic Places in Augusta, Georgia

History

See also

References

External links