Erie Playhouse
13 W. 10th Street,
Erie,
PA
16501
13 W. 10th Street,
Erie,
PA
16501
1 person
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 28 comments
1948 grand opening ad posted.
List of Owners: 1948-1953 Warner Brothers Circuit 1953-1961 Stanley Warner 1961-1969 RKO Stanley Warner 1975-1980 Cinemette Corporation of America
The new facade is an improvement. Color and an art deco style lower treatment. Doors are similar to old ones but fresher. Good job and not tacky.
I agree it looks “TACKY” but thats just my opinion,the owners most likely love it though.
Here’s my July 2010 photo showing the new ticker-type marquee, squares on facade cleaned up, new doors, horizonal stripes removed… all just horrible in my opinion:
http://agilitynut.com/10/7/eth.jpg
Here are more photos beginning in 1971:
http://tinyurl.com/y859vnd
http://tinyurl.com/y8eoqgy
http://tinyurl.com/ydxpqcd
http://tinyurl.com/ydhqfqo
This Strand Theater replaced the original Strand, which was around the corner on State Street. The “new” Strand had a stadium style balcony. The design was art moderne. As you entered the lobby, the concession stand was to your left, which also had the stairs leading to the rest rooms on the lower level. The three strip Cinerama was set up in one booth in the balcony. in 1960, “Ben Hur” opened in 70mm and, if memory serves, played for almost a year. for 70mm they returned to the original booth. Across the street was the Majestic, an old vaudeville house which became Shea’s. There were also the Colonial, Columbia and the State in downtown Erie
There was a balcony in the Strand. My father was a part-time projectionist there during the Seventies. I would sit with him in the booth or in the balcony (which was closed to the public by that time for some reason. I saw many movies there, including The Godfather,Jaws (18 times) and a re-release of 2001. The balcony was only opened one time that I remember, for Star Trek 2 in 1981 or ‘82.
http://tinyurl.com/32t27o
This is how the Erie Playhouse should still look, imo!
A 1996 view of the former Strand Theater building in Erie.
Still wish it looked like the THSA mystery theater #12 photo in the Jan 14, 2008 post! IF those doors are still in existence which I seriously doubt, they should be re-installed.
Lost Memory: Thanks for helping the “lost” find their way again! You are a theatre gem!
ken mc: I just visited the THSA site and under PA they only had the Warner Theatre listed for Erie so how was the b/w sketch of the former Strand found on THSA?
JohnMessick: Well, that’s one way of putting though they certainly messed it up to say the least! Why was the name Strand not left in place along with the beautiful doors and the glass enclosures for the movie posters? And to change the seating from 980 to 433 certainly made the seating capacity less by many seats. I was in that theatre about 15 years ago and can’t recall if there was a balcony. Does anyone have memories of what it the interior looked like back then? I think the Playhouse is strictly used for live performances and not a movie theatre anymore.
UGH, the photo dated 1966 and the photos 2005….they killed it!!!
Lost Memory: If you find any photos of this theatre when it was the Strand, please post!
Lost Memory: I’m familiar with this playhouse having seen Sleeping Beauty and A Few Good Men on stage, but after seeing the “ken mc” Jan 14, 2008 photo I realize what it used to look like in the mid 80’s compared to the photos posted on Oct 2, 2005!
Here is a 1966 photo from the THSA site:
http://tinyurl.com/32t27o
I think there was a Strand Theatre in Erie, but there was also several others and among them was a Shea’s which may have had 1600 seats. The Avalon Hotel is on that site now, unfortunately.
This is strange. The American Film Review list for 1036 shows a Strand theatre in Erie PA with 1,600 seats. Could that be an earlier building replaced by this one (mentioned above as being built in 1947).
Correction: Please to to www.ticketmaster.ca/venue/180227 to find the Warner schedule!
Lois: Also go to www.ticketmaster.ca/venue/180277/ and it will take you to the Warner Theatre/Erie website. It has a list of upcoming productions.
Go to www.erieplayhouse.org and I think you’ll enjoy seeing what is playing there now….“The Taffetas” which is a nostaglic musical with songs sung by 4 gals in taffeta dresses and pouf hairstyles such as Where the Boys Are, Mr. Sandman, and many other familiar tunes! Let us know how the show was if you can still get tickets!
Lois: Do you mean at the Erie Playhouse?
Would you please inform me if you have anything playing on Jan. 1st, 2005 that would be of interest to adults over 65??? Thanks, Lois