Jack: Did Lawrence MA have two theatres with great marquees and buildings? The Palace AND the Warner? I’ve been comparing 2 different b/w photos from each CT link and they are certainly different facades. And the theatres listed on “theatre row” doesn’t seem to mention the Warner which was located at 1 Lawrence Street according to the Warner Theatre/Lawrence CT link.
Article taken from the Warner Theatre/Torrington CT Cinema Treasures link. I just wanted those who have posted or will post on this link to read what can be done to save and restore a hometown theatre named WARNER.
Warner gets $1M
CHARLES W. KIM, Register Citizen Staff
11/23/2005
TORRINGTON – The Warner Theatre now has a million reasons to be thankful.
Former city residents Ray and Carole Neag have given the capital fund-raising campaign $1 million toward completing phase II of the building project.
“It is the largest single donation to the Warner,” Board of Directors President Muff Maskovsky said.
The donation was announced at the historic Main Street theater Tuesday night with several dignitaries on hand, including Gov. M. Jodi Rell.
“It is a great day for the arts in Connecticut,” Rell said. “At the Warner, itâ€\s all about the people.”
The theater was built in 1931 as a Warner Brothers movie house and sold in the 1950s as part of a federally mandated divestment, according to the theater.
The building fell into disrepair in the 1960â€\s and 1970â€\s and faced foreclosure in 1981.
It was placed on the market for $275,000 and was certain to be demolished by 1982, according to the theater.
A grassroots organization called the Northwest Connecticut Association for the Arts formed to raise the money needed to save and restore the facility.
The capital campaign seeks to raise a total of $15.85 million to renovate and expand the theater, and the group is now only $1 million away from that goal, President James Patrick said.
Phase I renovated and updated the main theater, and the end of the Phase II building campaign will build a 200-seat Nancy Marine Studio Theatre and the Ray and Carole Neag Center for the Performing arts, a state-of-the-art education center, according to the theater.
The Neags both graduated from Torrington High School and eventually moved to a suburb of Reading, Pa.
“It is always coming home to us,” Carole Neag said. “Through it all the Warner Theatre has always been here.”
Ray compared the revitalization of Reading with what may happen in Torrington.
“Donâ€\t give up the boat,” Ray Neag said. “There is a parallel story taking place here.”
Rell said the theater will help grow the downtown of the city as more and more programs and educational opportunities are added.
“You have done it the right way,” Rell said. “It will be a growth factor for the region as well as the 80,000 patrons.”
Maskovsky issued a challenge to the about 100 people attending the presentation Tuesday to raise the last million for the project.
U.S. Rep. Nancy Johnson, R-5, said the project works because the people are excited about having the arts in the community.
“Remember to give, give, give, and to come, come, come,” Johnson said.
This theatre is gorgeous and my hat is off to the folks of Torrington who saved this Warner and marquee. Congratulations! The MA town of Lawrence who had a Warner Theatre, but chose to demolish it could take a lesson from Torrington when he comes to saving a hometown theatre with the name WARNER!
It seems that Memphis decided to lose their Warner which is pretty much the case with the City of Nashville as I’ve read about many of their theatres that are now gone so thank goodness that the City of Knoxville chose to keep and restore their Tennessee! Congratulations Knoxville!
Jack May: Does your source have any interior photos? I’d love to see one, but after viewing the exterior I know I’d be even more upset if I saw them knowing that the theatre is GONE!
Thanks so very much for this url link as the theatre was just as I thought it would be….beautiful with its marquee that was truly…Warner! Lawrence MA truly lost a theatre gem when they demolished this one for future generations!
Jack May: Thanks for the background information on Lawrence and their regard for old theatres back then. Perhaps if the Warner could have somehow held on it might have been restored in today’s world with the presence of many preservationist’s voices and efforts.
I watch Court TV from time to time or when a BIG case is being broadcast and yesterday the case was from Lawrence MA. I see that the Warner in that community was demolished to make way for a bank. It seems that many theatres come down to make way for banks or parking lots! Can anyone give more detail as to why this single screen WARNER theatre with over 2,000 seats was demolished?
I’ve just been informed that the Carolina Theatre was designed by architects, Graven and Mayger, but it isn’t listed on the CT Graven and Mayger CT link.
And what happened to the RKO Palace Wurlitzer organ? The Wurlitzer organ in the Tennessee was removed, restored and re-installed which is the way it should be!
What in the world was going on with the City of Rochester when this RKO Palace was brought down? I’m sure the preservationists weren’t as active or even a well organized group back then as they are now!
And the RTOS site is fascinating to view as the b/w slide show is complete, but very sad to watch as the RKO was a beautifully ornate downtown theatre that is gone forever.
I just found this link after researching the architect names of Graven and Mayger. I am truly saddened and appalled at what the City of Rochester did in regards to their RKO Palace in 1965 and now the site is a PARKING LOT! The City of Rochester should hang their heads in shame!
Where is Kirkegaard based? And perhaps after the first of the year I’ll be able to visit Knoxville enroute to Nashville. If so, seeing the Tennessee will be at the top of the ‘must-see’ list.
I’m really sorry, but somehow I wrote and thought the name was the Capitol and in reality it was the COLONIAL. Thanks for the news story as I was in Skaneateles the summer that the Clintons came to visit. They have friends who have a beautiful home along the shores of Skaneateles Lake and it is pointed out from the local tour boat.
Jack: Did Lawrence MA have two theatres with great marquees and buildings? The Palace AND the Warner? I’ve been comparing 2 different b/w photos from each CT link and they are certainly different facades. And the theatres listed on “theatre row” doesn’t seem to mention the Warner which was located at 1 Lawrence Street according to the Warner Theatre/Lawrence CT link.
View link
Thanks to Lost Memory here is a link that will show exterior and interior photos of this Warner!
Article taken from the Warner Theatre/Torrington CT Cinema Treasures link. I just wanted those who have posted or will post on this link to read what can be done to save and restore a hometown theatre named WARNER.
Warner gets $1M
CHARLES W. KIM, Register Citizen Staff
11/23/2005
TORRINGTON – The Warner Theatre now has a million reasons to be thankful.
Former city residents Ray and Carole Neag have given the capital fund-raising campaign $1 million toward completing phase II of the building project.
“It is the largest single donation to the Warner,” Board of Directors President Muff Maskovsky said.
The donation was announced at the historic Main Street theater Tuesday night with several dignitaries on hand, including Gov. M. Jodi Rell.
“It is a great day for the arts in Connecticut,” Rell said. “At the Warner, itâ€\s all about the people.”
The theater was built in 1931 as a Warner Brothers movie house and sold in the 1950s as part of a federally mandated divestment, according to the theater.
The building fell into disrepair in the 1960â€\s and 1970â€\s and faced foreclosure in 1981.
It was placed on the market for $275,000 and was certain to be demolished by 1982, according to the theater.
A grassroots organization called the Northwest Connecticut Association for the Arts formed to raise the money needed to save and restore the facility.
The capital campaign seeks to raise a total of $15.85 million to renovate and expand the theater, and the group is now only $1 million away from that goal, President James Patrick said.
Phase I renovated and updated the main theater, and the end of the Phase II building campaign will build a 200-seat Nancy Marine Studio Theatre and the Ray and Carole Neag Center for the Performing arts, a state-of-the-art education center, according to the theater.
The Neags both graduated from Torrington High School and eventually moved to a suburb of Reading, Pa.
“It is always coming home to us,” Carole Neag said. “Through it all the Warner Theatre has always been here.”
Ray compared the revitalization of Reading with what may happen in Torrington.
“Donâ€\t give up the boat,” Ray Neag said. “There is a parallel story taking place here.”
Rell said the theater will help grow the downtown of the city as more and more programs and educational opportunities are added.
“You have done it the right way,” Rell said. “It will be a growth factor for the region as well as the 80,000 patrons.”
Maskovsky issued a challenge to the about 100 people attending the presentation Tuesday to raise the last million for the project.
U.S. Rep. Nancy Johnson, R-5, said the project works because the people are excited about having the arts in the community.
“Remember to give, give, give, and to come, come, come,” Johnson said.
Charles W. Kim can be reached by e-mail at
This theatre is gorgeous and my hat is off to the folks of Torrington who saved this Warner and marquee. Congratulations! The MA town of Lawrence who had a Warner Theatre, but chose to demolish it could take a lesson from Torrington when he comes to saving a hometown theatre with the name WARNER!
And is this Warner still standing?
It seems that Memphis decided to lose their Warner which is pretty much the case with the City of Nashville as I’ve read about many of their theatres that are now gone so thank goodness that the City of Knoxville chose to keep and restore their Tennessee! Congratulations Knoxville!
Another Warner gone to make way for part of a parking lot? I’m researching Warner theatres and would love to see a photo(s) of this one.
Jack May: Does your source have any interior photos? I’d love to see one, but after viewing the exterior I know I’d be even more upset if I saw them knowing that the theatre is GONE!
Thanks so very much for this url link as the theatre was just as I thought it would be….beautiful with its marquee that was truly…Warner! Lawrence MA truly lost a theatre gem when they demolished this one for future generations!
Jack May: Thanks for the background information on Lawrence and their regard for old theatres back then. Perhaps if the Warner could have somehow held on it might have been restored in today’s world with the presence of many preservationist’s voices and efforts.
Does anyone have any vintage photos of this theatre in its heyday?
I truly believe that this theatre in San Clemente CA should be saved. Isn’t San Clemente where former President Nixon had a home?
Would love to see a photo(s) of this former WARNER.
I watch Court TV from time to time or when a BIG case is being broadcast and yesterday the case was from Lawrence MA. I see that the Warner in that community was demolished to make way for a bank. It seems that many theatres come down to make way for banks or parking lots! Can anyone give more detail as to why this single screen WARNER theatre with over 2,000 seats was demolished?
I’ve just been informed that the Carolina Theatre was designed by architects, Graven and Mayger, but it isn’t listed on the CT Graven and Mayger CT link.
And what happened to the RKO Palace Wurlitzer organ? The Wurlitzer organ in the Tennessee was removed, restored and re-installed which is the way it should be!
What in the world was going on with the City of Rochester when this RKO Palace was brought down? I’m sure the preservationists weren’t as active or even a well organized group back then as they are now!
And the RTOS site is fascinating to view as the b/w slide show is complete, but very sad to watch as the RKO was a beautifully ornate downtown theatre that is gone forever.
I just found this link after researching the architect names of Graven and Mayger. I am truly saddened and appalled at what the City of Rochester did in regards to their RKO Palace in 1965 and now the site is a PARKING LOT! The City of Rochester should hang their heads in shame!
I wish the folks who restored the Tennessee would come to Charlotte and help with efforts to restore the Carolina! www.mtos.org and
View link
Where is Kirkegaard based? And perhaps after the first of the year I’ll be able to visit Knoxville enroute to Nashville. If so, seeing the Tennessee will be at the top of the ‘must-see’ list.
Thanks for the Kirkegaard website with photos as you certainly have a beauty in the Tennessee especially that in-house organ.
For anyone local the next Wurlitzer organ recital at the Riviera is on August 16th at 7:00.
I’m really sorry, but somehow I wrote and thought the name was the Capitol and in reality it was the COLONIAL. Thanks for the news story as I was in Skaneateles the summer that the Clintons came to visit. They have friends who have a beautiful home along the shores of Skaneateles Lake and it is pointed out from the local tour boat.
I wasn’t either until I visited the town over the weekend and spoke to the Skaneateles Historical Society President, Karlene Miller.