Lucas Theatre for the Arts
37 Abercorn Street,
Savannah,
GA
31401
37 Abercorn Street,
Savannah,
GA
31401
9 people
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Although there is a good shot of the facade and marquee in the Hallmark film Love to the Rescue I don’t believe the interior shot in the film is the Lucas.
Recall in the 60’s, The Popeye Kiddie Club! Those under 13 could get in with 6 Pepsi bottle caps. Could stay all day. My Grandpa owned Frawley’s Confectionery, so bottle caps wasn’t a problem.
The marquee of this theatre shows up in the new “SPONGEBOB” movie.
cccmoviehouses My wife and I recently attended “In the Mood”, a live musical at the Lucus. What a magnificent theater!!! The restoration has brought this movie palace back to it’s original form, the detail done on the interior looks like a fine painting. The marquee and exterior are exquisite. What a showplace!
Hi all I went to this theater as a kid I saw my first
Bruce Lee movie there.
Louis, The theater you mentioned is the Trustees Theater. It was called the Weis Theater and was closed for over 20 years before SCAD took it over.
Just saw this theater yesterday. Awesome and impressive. There is a theater around the corner, named the SCAD, seems like it’s part of the Savannah College of Arts & Design, but it’s not listed. I have to assume that the original name of the theater is not SCAD. Perhaps this theater is under another name?
I think it was an ABC SOUTHEASTERN THEATRE back in the 1970’s. Plitt might have even had it for awhile.
“ MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND EVIL” mentioned above,Director Clint Eastwood was raising money for the theatre by charging $100.00 dollars to have your picture taken with him.I am still kicking myself for not driving down for a picture and know the hundred was going for a great theatre.Wonder how many showed up?
Very Nice.
Here is a 2004 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/phuyrs
A view of the Lucas Theatre in Savannah.
Contrary to [un]popular opinion S.C.A.D. does not own the Lucas, the school does make significant contribution to the monthly operating expenses of the theatre.
According to this site, in the early days men were not admitted to the theater without jacket and tie. I don’t think that would work today:
http://tinyurl.com/jges9
Back in 1997 when Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil was being filmed in Savannah, there was a great party at the Lucas which included many people from Savannah and the members of the film crew. This was a fun night for all. What a great job has been done with this theatre since then.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/robh/74296427/
The first organ in the Lucas Theatre was a Pilcher, Opus 1088, two manuals and 19 ranks, installed in 1921. The Lucas then purchased a “true” unit theatre organ, a Wurlitzer, in 1925. This instrument was a Style 235 with three manuals and eleven ranks. It was removed in the 70’s by ATOS members Edd and Norma Simmons and was stored in their home near Atlanta, GA. The organ was later conveyed to the Atlanta Chapter of the American Theatre Organ Sociey and, in turn, the organ was offered back to the Lucas. After initiating some restoration on the instrument by A.E. Schleuter Organ Co. of Lithonia, GA, the Lucas management shelved plans to re-install the instrument.
In 1956 the LUCAS revived its film and vaudeville program for just 3 days when Col. Tom Parker was touring his new star-to-be on 3-day gigs in the great movie-vaudeville palaces of the South. The movie alternated with 4-per-day Elvis Presley stage shows and the admission price was $1.25 (vs. the regular 80c price). Elvis was well known throughout the South at that point, and a few weeks later he was on the Dorsey Bros TV show on CBS and became a world famous star very quickly.
It is a lovely theatre inside. The people that put alot of hard work in restoring it need to be commended. GREAT JOB!
Recent photo here:
http://community.webshots.com/photo/98496886EWdCCa
The interior of the Lucas is not “Italianate” but is rather almost pure Adam and Neoclassical as seen through the eyes of architectural practioners of the early twenties. The Adam interior is a surprising contrast to the Italian Renaissance exterior of the building.
AMEN Charles
The Lucas Theatre web site can be found at: http://www.savannahnow.com/features/lucas/
History of the Lucas Theatre
In 1921, film distribution pioneer Arthur Lucas opened Savanah’s first and only “movie palace,” to a soldout viewing of the film “Camille.” Partons quickly got accustomed to enjoying first-run movie hits, live vaudeville performances, a resident theatre company, big bands and visits by Hollywood stars. As the “vaudeville” era ended and the movie industry evolved and proliferated, the Lucas was unable to attract an audience. After operating 55 years, the Lucas closed its doors May 21, 1976, after the showing of “The Exorcist."
in 9187, Savannah residents Emma and Lee Adler established the Lucas Theatre for the Performing Arts as a not-for-profit corporation and launched an ambitious fund-raising campaign fund as extensive restoration of the theatre and the installation of state-of-the-art equipment. The Lucas reopened in December 2000 to provide a variety of community entertainment.
The theatre’s architectural features — including a 40-foot-wide ceiling dome — are worthy of the many house invested in its restoration. From an Italian Renaissancce exterior to the ornate Italianate interior, the Lucas sits majestically at teh corner of Abercorn and Congress streets on Reynold Square. The intricately detailed Adam-style plasterwork, Wedgewood inspired colors and gold leaf accents, have all been restored to their original opulence.
The Lucas Theatre offers visitors the oppoetunity to take a glimpse at Savanah’s past, while enjoying the best in entertainment.
The original Wurlitzer Style 235 has been donated back to the theatre and is slated for full restoration/updating and re-installation in the Lucas.