The Stadium Theatre Performing Arts Centre & Conservatory is a historic movie theater and concert venue and commercial building at 28 Monument Square in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. The complex consists of two connected sections, one housing the theater, the other offices, both with retail spaces on the ground floor. The theater was designed by Perry and Whipple of Providence and built in 1926.
Initial funding came from Mrs. Norbert Champeau, a widow with interest in the theater, but the project was soon taken over by Arthur I. Darman, a local industrialist. Although it lacked the opulence of theaters in larger cities, it was one of the most elaborately decorated performance spaces in Woonsocket.[2]
The theatre's name comes from the "stadium" style of seating, which allowed everyone in the audience a good view of the stage.[3]
The theatre showed x-rated movies in 1980s and closed in 1985.[3]
The building declined and decayed until Mayor Francis Lanctot started a campaign to save the building and raised over $3 million in donations.[3] The renovated venue reopened in 2001. [3]
In 2014, Rhode Island voters approved a bond measure to set aside $2 million to renovate the four-story structure adjacent to the theatre, to be used as dedicated space for costuming, sets, props, and performing arts classes.[4][5]
^"NRHP nomination for Stadium Building" (PDF). Rhode Island Preservation. Retrieved 2014-08-08.
^ abcdef"Woonsocket's Stadium Theatre leads the way". Rhody Beat. The Cranston Herald. 7 August 2017. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
^Seoane, Sandy (15 October 2014). "Stadium Theatre looks to rehab newly purchased Stadium Building with $2 million from state bond". Valley Breeze. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
^"Rhode Island Creative and Cultural Economy Bonds, Question 5 (2014)". BallotPedia. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
Further reading
Statewide Historic Preservation Report for Woonsocket, Rhode Island published by the Rhode Island Historic Preservation Commission in September, 1976.
Woonsocket, Rhode Island - A Centennial History 1888 - 1988 published by the Woonsocket Centennial Committee in 1988.
Images of America - Woonsocket written by Robert R. Bellerose and published by Arcadia Publishing, Dover, NH, 1997.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Stadium Theater (Woonsocket, Rhode Island).
stadium, building, stadium, theatre, performing, arts, centre, conservatory, historic, movie, theater, concert, venue, commercial, building, monument, square, woonsocket, rhode, island, complex, consists, connected, sections, housing, theater, other, offices, . The Stadium Theatre Performing Arts Centre amp Conservatory is a historic movie theater and concert venue and commercial building at 28 Monument Square in Woonsocket Rhode Island The complex consists of two connected sections one housing the theater the other offices both with retail spaces on the ground floor The theater was designed by Perry and Whipple of Providence and built in 1926 Stadium BuildingU S National Register of Historic PlacesShow map of Rhode IslandShow map of the United StatesLocationWoonsocket Rhode IslandCoordinates42 0 19 N 71 30 46 W 42 00528 N 71 51278 W 42 00528 71 51278 Coordinates 42 0 19 N 71 30 46 W 42 00528 N 71 51278 W 42 00528 71 51278Built1926ArchitectPerry amp WhippleNRHP reference No 76000006 1 Added to NRHPJune 30 1976Initial funding came from Mrs Norbert Champeau a widow with interest in the theater but the project was soon taken over by Arthur I Darman a local industrialist Although it lacked the opulence of theaters in larger cities it was one of the most elaborately decorated performance spaces in Woonsocket 2 The theatre s name comes from the stadium style of seating which allowed everyone in the audience a good view of the stage 3 Contents 1 History 2 See also 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksHistory EditThe Stadium opened in 1926 as a vaudeville house 3 The declining theatre added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 The theatre showed x rated movies in 1980s and closed in 1985 3 The building declined and decayed until Mayor Francis Lanctot started a campaign to save the building and raised over 3 million in donations 3 The renovated venue reopened in 2001 3 The film There s Something About Mary by the Farrelly Brothers premiered in the Stadium in 1998 3 In 2014 Rhode Island voters approved a bond measure to set aside 2 million to renovate the four story structure adjacent to the theatre to be used as dedicated space for costuming sets props and performing arts classes 4 5 See also EditNational Register of Historic Places listings in Providence County Rhode IslandReferences Edit National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service January 23 2007 NRHP nomination for Stadium Building PDF Rhode Island Preservation Retrieved 2014 08 08 a b c d e f Woonsocket s Stadium Theatre leads the way Rhody Beat The Cranston Herald 7 August 2017 Retrieved 29 April 2018 Seoane Sandy 15 October 2014 Stadium Theatre looks to rehab newly purchased Stadium Building with 2 million from state bond Valley Breeze Retrieved 29 April 2018 Rhode Island Creative and Cultural Economy Bonds Question 5 2014 BallotPedia Retrieved 29 April 2018 Further reading EditStatewide Historic Preservation Report for Woonsocket Rhode Island published by the Rhode Island Historic Preservation Commission in September 1976 Woonsocket Rhode Island A Centennial History 1888 1988 published by the Woonsocket Centennial Committee in 1988 Images of America Woonsocket written by Robert R Bellerose and published by Arcadia Publishing Dover NH 1997 Wikimedia Commons has media related to Stadium Theater Woonsocket Rhode Island External links EditStadium Theatre Web site The history of the venue at Woonsocket org This article about a Registered Historic Place in Providence County Rhode Island is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Stadium Building amp oldid 945962421, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
