Poli's Theater
145 East Main Street,
Waterbury,
CT
06702
145 East Main Street,
Waterbury,
CT
06702
1 person
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Poli’s Theater opened on Dec. 19, 1897 next to the Broadway Casino, which later became the site of the State Theater. Poli’s saw such luminaries as the Drews, the Barrymores, Sarah Bernhardt and George M. Cohan traipse across its stage during its heyday. It closed in the 1930s.
The old Poli’s is not to be confused with the Loew’s Poli, the site of the newly renovated Palace Theater.
Contributed by
an ex Waterburian
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Recent comments (view all 7 comments)
Poli’s Theater may also have been known as Fon’s Theatre, which is the sign on the side of the Poli’s building in the postcard photo at View link
There is also a small photo of a postcard showing Poli’s and the Broadway Casino at http://216.247.8.124/pixfiles/382.jpg
Poli’s Theater closed in 1928, but the building is still standing next to the Waterbury UConn campus (photo at View link )
Shirley Grey http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0336956/bio was born in Naugatuck CT and moved to Waterbury in 1917. She graduated from Wilby High School in 1919 and began her acting career with Sylvester Poli’s stock theater company, The Poli Players', shortly thereafter. While with the Poli Players, she performed in weekly stock performances throughout Poli’s chain of theaters, and performed with the Poli Players until 1924. Grey performed in more than 45 films during her brief movie career from 1930 to 1935 http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0336956/
“Poli’s Theater may also have been known as Fon’s Theatre, which is the sign on the side of the Poli’s building in the postcard photo…” I don’t believe this is accurate. The postcard in the first link here has been touched up by someone who is not familiar with the photo image from which the postcard was made. This touched up postcard also repaired the “STORAGE” sign. Interestingly enough, the image in the second link, http://216.247.8.124/pixfiles/382.jpg , is an accurate reproduction of this postcard. Note: the fancy “L” in the Poli name and the broken “STORAGE” sign. Please compare the two images to confirm.
The info I have says it opened on December 15, but what the hey, 4 days. 1,200 seats. At the time, it was the largest stage in the country. Pictures are on page 56 of Images of America: Waterbury.
The building that still stands is the lobby building. The theatre portion is long gone.
Another POLI,s down the tubes.
This paragraph about Poli’s Theatre appeared in the biographical sketch of its manager, Walter Griffith, in a history of Waterbury published in 1918: