Union County Performing Arts Center
1601 Irving Street,
Rahway,
NJ
7065
1601 Irving Street,
Rahway,
NJ
7065
13 people
favorited this theater
Showing 76 - 88 of 88 comments
Does anyone know whether any of the upcoming film events will be presented from 35mm film, or are they just DVD presentations?
Theater reopened in February and now features air conditioning for year round programming.
“The theater’s history goes back to 1927, when a wealthy Rahway businessman named Barney Engel man bought a parcel of land off Irving Street and built the old Rah way Theater for vaudeville acts and to showcase the fledgling movie in dustry.
The theater held its opening night on Oct. 16, 1928, with silent films and live organ music.“ extracted from View link
Currently the Center is undergoing a major renovation and expansion of its stage house. It will reopen once renovations are completed in 2008. Check their website (link above) for more details.– new addition on the back
Listed as open in the 1944 FDY. Listed in the 1961 FDY as part of Triangle-Liggett Theatre Service & in the 1970 FDY as part of Triangle Theatre Service Inc.
bigger view:
View link
Marquee photo that I took in April:
View link
It was also called ‘The Old Rahway’ in the ‘70s.
Saw 'Therese And Isabelle’‘Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls’ here and others.
Just saw My Fair Lady on 4/2/05 which was preceded by a Laurel & Hardy short and organ concert. Beautiful place. You can buy a book outlining the restoration in the lobby.
Interesting tidbit: Scenes from The School of Rock (2003)were filmed at the theater.
I saw THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI here last weekend, and they put on quite a show: newsreel, cartoon, audience singalong, etc. And the theater itself was beautiful. I’ll be going back again for sure.
They are having an excellent classic film season, beginning on September 18 with A HARD DAY’S NIGHT. If you like classic films in great theaters, don’t miss this unique series.
All the details can be found at http://www.ucac.org/MoviePalace/Pages/ThFilms.html
The Union County Arts Center most of it’s life was called the Rahway Theatre. It was an independant theatre chain until RKO leased the business in 1931. RKO went bust in 1935 and it became an independant once again. From 1928 to 1979, The Rahway played mostly first run and double feature programs. It started out as a silent movie/vaudeville theatre with such acts like the Seven Little Foys on stage. Vaudville stopped once the theatre went to sound, but after RKO took control they revived the 5 act vaudville policy. 1935, the Rahway went all film. The thing that saved the theatre was it’s original Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ. In the 1960’s the organ was restored by members of ATOE (now known as ATOS). The theatre management was so impressed that they allowed the organ to be played for Sunday Matinees. In 1979, when the end was near, it was these same people (now a chapter of ATOS; the Garden State Theatre Organ Society) that gathered together started a non profit called “Rahway Landmarks” and bought the theatre in 1984 and has since restored the theatre in 1990. The theatre is now a fully functional arts center which presents everything from live events to silent films (which started it all). For more info check our website http://www.ucac.org/
Also check out http://www.gstos.org/ for organ info.
I came to this site to get show and ticket information for upcoming productions but can’t seem to find it in your web site. Can you help. Right now I am interested in the upcoming Wayne Brady show. Thanks
Hey UCAC,
Please send me a listing of your upcoming events to:
Odded Benjamin
Village of Stoney Run
APT 22K
Maple Shade, NJ 08052
Thanks.