Donna Reed Performing Arts Center
1305 Broadway,
Denison,
IA
51442
1305 Broadway,
Denison,
IA
51442
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Related Websites
The Donna Reed Foundation for the Performing Arts (Official)
Additional Info
Functions: Concerts, Live Theater, Movies
Previous Names: Germania Opera House, Ritz Theatre
Phone Numbers:
Box Office:
712.263.3334
Nearby Theaters
Opened as the Germania Opera House on May 18, 1914 with a play named “The Ghost Breaker”. It was the fourth theatre to open in town with the Germania Opera House name. From what I found it became the Ritz Theatre sometime in 1935. It functioned as a movie theatre until the 1980’s and has since been refurbished and is now a venue for live performances but is also equipped for movies.
Originally seating was listed at 800 but today seats 550.
Contributed by
Chuck
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Recent comments (view all 3 comments)
There are errors in our current description of this theater. It opened on May 18, 1914 with a play called “The Ghost Breaker.” This was the second Germania Opera House in Denison. The February 22, 1913 issue of Moving Picture World which announced the plans for the new Germania Opera House also noted that the old Opera house would be converted into a moving picture theater. The original Germania was located on North Main Street, but I haven’t been able to discover exactly where.
Actually, there are four Germania Opera Houses. During its early heyday, it was once known as “Germania Hall”. The Germania was relocated multiple times throughout much of 1894 to 1914.
The first one opened in 1894 and closed in 1907, the second one opened in 1907 and closed in May 1913, the third one opened in May 31, 1913 and closed in May 1914, and the fourth/current one opened on May 18, 1914.
There may have been 4, but the dates are not right. The Germania appears on the first map of Denison, from 1886. It remains up through the 1908 map. The second location appears on the 1913 map. It’s possible there were only three. The second one definitely showed movies, and I’ll add it.