Brook Arts Center

50sSNIPES on May 26, 2024 at 1:55 pm

The Brook Theater closed as a first-run movie theater on November 2, 1986 with “Nothing In Common” due to a one-month renovation which led to a reopening as a performing arts house the following month.

rivest266 on August 24, 2017 at 4:53 pm

This opened on January 19th, 1927. Article below:

Found on Newspapers.com

walterk on August 6, 2016 at 2:39 pm

markp, here’s a link to their website and upcoming events. Not very busy right now, but up and running they are.

markp on September 7, 2013 at 6:32 pm

Worked here as a projectionist in 1992.

djben1 on July 29, 2010 at 11:13 pm

Contribute to the Restoration

A contribution to the Brook will help restore the Theatre to its original Victorian glory and provide quality entertainment, cultural, and educational programming for all ages.

Financial support of the Brook Theatre through the Somerset County Cultural Arts Center, Inc., from individuals, businesses, foundations, and government is critical
to the restoration and programming initiatives of the Theatre.

As a 501©(3) non-profit organization in the early stages of development, contributions provide a majority of the income for the Theatre. Support of the efforts of the Board will allow the Brook to become the finest and most beautiful venue of the arts and education in New Jersey.

ALL MAIL OR Contributions may be mailed to:

Somerset County Cultural Arts Center, Inc.
Post Office Box 387, Bound Brook, New Jersey 08805

Brook Theatre is located at:
10 Hamilton Street, Bound Brook, New Jersey 08805
Phone: 732-469-7700

markp on March 14, 2010 at 9:52 pm

Theatre has again flooded. 3rd time in 11 years. Go to “www.thnt.com” and click on bound brook flood to view photos.

spectrum on January 18, 2010 at 6:18 pm

Sorry, here’s the third one:

View link

And as a bonus: a ten minute scene from the original “Phantom of the Opera”

View link

[Deleted] on October 9, 2009 at 11:58 am

It’s great that the Brook Theatre has been restored in spite of all the past flooding. Kudos to everyone involved in its resurrection. I’m assuming the organ has been fully restored at this point and is still being maintained by the Garden State Theater Organ Society.

djben1 on August 21, 2009 at 10:43 am

from 8/21/2009 courier news
The Brook Theatre, a cultural hub that has been flooded twice in the past decade, will re-open on the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Floyd.

The theater organizers will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony 6 p.m. Sept. 17 which will include a program commemorating the anniversary of the flood which deluged the downtown section of the borough under six feet of water.
“It just seemed like a very appropriate day for a new beginning, to put the past behind us and to look forward to a magnificent future for the downtown area and the entire Bound Brook community,” said Lynn Fazen, vice chairman of the The Brook Arts Center and administrator of the Bound Brook Area Chamber of Commerce.
The Brook Theatre has had a difficult decade. It was flooded by Hurricane Floyd in 1999. Months after it re-opened, it was flooded again during a nor'easter in April 2007.
Crews have been working through the summer, polishing the floor in the lobby, installing carpet, painting, and repairing the electrical system.
Bob Fazen, who is serving as the historical consultant on the project, said flood insurance funded the bulk of the renovations. Other work has been paid for by Somerset County and state grants.
This time, however, Bob Fazen (also chair of the borough’s land use board) said, the seats in the theater will be mobile so if there is the threat of another flood, they can be moved to higher ground.
Lynn Fazen said the flexible seating is also a plus because the theater will be a mixed venue featuring movies, music, concerts, comedy, and other entertainment.
Mayor Carey Pilato said the Brook Theatre is an asset to the borough. He said the theatre along with the Bound Brook train station and other transit development projects, are economic drivers.
Bob Fazen’s goal is to bring the theater back to the splendor of the 1920s – when the Brook Theatre was compared to Broadway.
Officials are hopeful about the theater’s renovation, especially because the Green Brook Flood Control Project could be complete by late 2010 or 2011. The series of walls and levees, infused this year with $33 million in federal Recovery Act funds, is designed to alleviate chronic flooding in the Bound Brook area, according to John O'Connor, Army Corps of Engineers project manager for the project.
Other events planned at the Brook Theatre this fall include: A theatre organ concert and silent movie Sept. 18; storytelling events recounting the history of the flood Sept. 19 and 20; and a wine tasting in partnership with the Bound Brook Area Chamber of Commerce Nov. 14.
Kara L. Richardson: 908-243-6621;

djben1 on August 21, 2009 at 10:18 am

History

A classic vaudeville theater, the Brook was opened in 1927. That was the same year that the first talking picture, The Jazz Singer, starring Al Jolson hit the silver screen. This signaled the beginning of the end for vaudeville. Even though it was opened at the tail end of the era, the Brook was home to a wide variety of acts. Headliners like Tony Bennett and Jackie Gleason entertained packed houses in this 850 seat theater.

Opening Night
From THE CHRONICLE January 21, 1927

BROOK THEATRE IS NOW OPEN

Bound Brook turned out en masse for the opening of the Brook Theatre on Wednesday evening. Every one of the thirteen hundred odd, seats were occupied and foyer held another hundred or so who saw the show standing behind the marble balustrade which flanks the row seats in the auditorium. The large audience thoroughly enjoyed the five acts of vaudeville and two pictures; and it was admiringly proud of, and greatly pleased with the new theatre which Alexander Morecraft built and which Meyer Cohen is managing.

Hamilton Street, when the entertainment was concluded, looked like Broadway at eleven o'clock. Cars were parked for blocks in every direction and chief Nash and his patrolmen had a busy three quarters of an hour in getting the traffic moving homewards.

“Say, where am I at?” said one commuter. “Surely this isn’t Bound Brook! Something sure has happened to the old town. Makes me think I should hire a taxi and steer for a cabaret.”

The two pictures, “The Tennis Wizard” and “The Lunatic at Large”, gripping and amusing, went over big with the crowded house. The five acts of vaudeville were surprisingly good, miles above the average, and reflected great credit on the good judgment of Manager Cohen who selected them as features for the opening night performance.

A special car attached to one of the Jersey Central trains brought a crowd of theatrical folk to the initial performance. They expressed themselves as being surprisingly impressed with Bound Brook’s new playhouse; they spoke very highly of the first night’s show. Manager Cohen came in for a whirlwind of congratulations which were either offered in person or come by wire. His desk on yesterday morning was stacked with telegrams of good wishes that had been sent by his friends and people friendly to the venture.

djben1 on August 21, 2009 at 10:17 am

THE BROOK IS BACK!

Almost two years after the theater was severely damaged in the Nor'easter of April 2007, the Brook Arts Center will be reopening in the fall of 2009.

We will be continually restoring and improving this beautiful and historic theater over the next few years. Our goal is to make the Brook a first class theater for the benefit of the community and people of Somerset County.

We expect the theater to be the cornerstone of the redevelopment of Bound Brook now that the flood control measures are almost complete.

We will offer a multifunctional theater combining the best professional shows, concerts, films, and educational programs while still being available to service community needs.

To do all this, we will need community support. Please take a moment to look around our website and discover opportunities for you to donate and/or volunteer.

You will be hearing about many exciting things happening at the theater in the near future. We invite you to join in that excitement!

Please check back often for more news and upcoming events.

Sincerely,
The Board of Directors
Somerset County Cultural Arts Center

teecee on September 20, 2008 at 5:46 pm

For those of you not familiar with the area, this is what happens to this theater all to often when it rains real hard:

View link

djben1 on May 11, 2008 at 7:15 am

Although the theatre was heavily damaged during the flood of April 15 &16,2007 we are working hard to plan for the reopening of the Brook. We are working with the Borough, the County, the State and the Federal governments to bring the theatre back to life. In the interim, we will continue to produce events at other venues. Please stay tuned. from the website of the theatre. Go to http://www.brookarts.org/ to be updated on the goings on at the theatre as of now they have a new board of directors.