The Victory Theatre is a 1,950 seat venue in Evansville, Indiana. It is home to the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra and also hosts local ballet and modern dance companies, theatre companies, and touring productions.[2]
Opened on June 16, 1921 and originally seating 2,500 patrons, the theater was part of the Sonntag Hotel – Victory Theater complex that was organized by Marcus Sonntag and associates who were stockholders in the American Trust and Savings Bank across Sixth Street from the theater. Along with Frederick H. Gruneberg, St., President of the Consolidated Theaters Corporation, Sonntag and his associates contracted with Hoffman Construction Company to build the theater. It was air conditioned with commercial ice.[3]
The Victory featured a daily program of four vaudeville acts, a movie, a comedy routine, organ music and a ten-piece orchestra. In 1926 the Victory was leased to Loews Theatres as a movie chain and was renamed Loew's Victory. In 1928 Loew's featured Evansville's first "talking picture," an epic titled "Tenderloin." Later that year, "The Jazz Singer," featuring Al Jolson, became the first stand-alone talkie shown in the city.[4] The Loews's Victory Theatre closed in 1971. As the independent Victory Theatre it was divided into a triplex, but was closed in 1979.[5] The theater was restored to its former glory and reopened in 1998 after a $15 million renovation.
The Victory was designed by architect John Pridmore of Chicago. The exterior is in the restrained style characteristic of commercial buildings of the era, but the auditorium is more ornate. The stage, 68 feet (21 m) wide and 82 feet (25 m) deep, was at the time it was built one of the largest in the Midwest.[6] In 1982 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.[7]
It is owned by the City of Evansville and is co-managed with The Ford Center by VenuWorks.
^. SMG Evansville. Archived from the original on October 28, 2006. Retrieved November 2, 2006.
^"Indiana State Historic Architectural and Archaeological Research Database (SHAARD)" (Searchable database). Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology. Retrieved August 1, 2016. Note: This includes Douglas L. Stern and Joan Marchand (October 1981). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Downtown Evansville MRA" (PDF). Retrieved August 1, 2016., Douglas L. Stern and Joan Marchand (October 1981). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Downtown Evansville MRA" (PDF). Retrieved August 1, 2016., and Accompanying photographs
^Topper, Todd. In the Limelight – Historic Theaters of Evansville. Evansville: The Evansville Museum of Arts and Science, 1994, p. 6.
Victory Theater and Hotel Sonntag, Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana, National Register of Historic Places (1983)
May 02, 2024
victory, theatre, other, uses, disambiguation, seat, venue, evansville, indiana, home, evansville, philharmonic, orchestra, also, hosts, local, ballet, modern, dance, companies, theatre, companies, touring, productions, victory, theater, hotel, sonntagu, natio. For other uses see Victory Theatre disambiguation The Victory Theatre is a 1 950 seat venue in Evansville Indiana It is home to the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra and also hosts local ballet and modern dance companies theatre companies and touring productions 2 Victory Theater and Hotel SonntagU S National Register of Historic PlacesFront and side of the theaterLocation600 614 Main St Evansville IndianaCoordinates37 58 22 N 87 34 8 W 37 97278 N 87 56889 W 37 97278 87 56889AreaLess than 1 acre 4 000 m2 Built1921ArchitectJ E O PridmoreMPSDowntown Evansville MRANRHP reference No 82000124 1 Added to NRHPJuly 1 1982 Opened on June 16 1921 and originally seating 2 500 patrons the theater was part of the Sonntag Hotel Victory Theater complex that was organized by Marcus Sonntag and associates who were stockholders in the American Trust and Savings Bank across Sixth Street from the theater Along with Frederick H Gruneberg St President of the Consolidated Theaters Corporation Sonntag and his associates contracted with Hoffman Construction Company to build the theater It was air conditioned with commercial ice 3 The Victory featured a daily program of four vaudeville acts a movie a comedy routine organ music and a ten piece orchestra In 1926 the Victory was leased to Loews Theatres as a movie chain and was renamed Loew s Victory In 1928 Loew s featured Evansville s first talking picture an epic titled Tenderloin Later that year The Jazz Singer featuring Al Jolson became the first stand alone talkie shown in the city 4 The Loews s Victory Theatre closed in 1971 As the independent Victory Theatre it was divided into a triplex but was closed in 1979 5 The theater was restored to its former glory and reopened in 1998 after a 15 million renovation The Victory was designed by architect John Pridmore of Chicago The exterior is in the restrained style characteristic of commercial buildings of the era but the auditorium is more ornate The stage 68 feet 21 m wide and 82 feet 25 m deep was at the time it was built one of the largest in the Midwest 6 In 1982 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places 7 It is owned by the City of Evansville and is co managed with The Ford Center by VenuWorks References edit National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service July 9 2010 The Victory Theatre SMG Evansville Archived from the original on October 28 2006 Retrieved November 2 2006 Indiana State Historic Architectural and Archaeological Research Database SHAARD Searchable database Department of Natural Resources Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology Retrieved August 1 2016 Note This includes Douglas L Stern and Joan Marchand October 1981 National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form Downtown Evansville MRA PDF Retrieved August 1 2016 Douglas L Stern and Joan Marchand October 1981 National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form Downtown Evansville MRA PDF Retrieved August 1 2016 and Accompanying photographs Topper Todd In the Limelight Historic Theaters of Evansville Evansville The Evansville Museum of Arts and Science 1994 p 6 Loew s Victory Theater Victory History TW Hughes Retrieved April 12 2007 The Victory Theater Evansville IN USI art department Archived from the original on September 26 2007 Retrieved April 12 2007 Victory Theatre Emporis Buildings Archived from the original on September 30 2007 Retrieved December 21 2006 External links edit nbsp Media related to Victory Theatre Evansville at Wikimedia Commons Official website Historic Evansville Victory Theater Hotel Sonntag Victory Theater and Hotel Sonntag Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana National Register of Historic Places 1983 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Victory Theatre amp oldid 1171321993, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
