Topia Arts Center
27 Park Street,
Adams,
MA
01220
27 Park Street,
Adams,
MA
01220
4 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Functions: Community Arts Center, Movies (Classic), Restaurant
Previous Names: Adams Theatre
Nearby Theaters
The Adams Theatre in Adams, Mass. is closed. The marquee can still be seen, but all lettering has been removed and the entire thing has been painted an ugly shade of red. A Subway restaurant opened in the former lobby. The auditorium still exists, and was unused for years.
It was reopened in 2009 and now operates as the Topia Arts Center.
Contributed by
Roger Katz
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Recent comments (view all 13 comments)
In the 1927 Film Daily Yearbook, there are no less than 4 movie venues listed for Adams MA: the Atlas Theatre with 700 seats, open 7 days per week; the Photoplay with 650 seats, open 7 days per week; the Recreation Hall with 400 seats, and the Summer St. with 400 seats. In the 1942-43 Motion Picture Almanac, the Adams is listed as being run by Charles Morse Theatres of Boston. Morse also ran the Park Theatre in Adams at that time.
The Adams opened on January 14, 1938. Closed 1967.
It would appear that the old Adams Theatre is being renovated for multi-purpose performance use as the Topia Arts Center.
This YouTube video shows Adams residents recalling the theater’s glory days, as well as footage inside showing some of the early work. The interior has been gutted and is being completely redone.
Good news folks. Films are back at the Adams Theatere! the theatere is being run by the Topia Arts Center http://www.topiaarts.org/ seeting is limited to 100 persons, but I’m told all the movies are in high def. right now the showings are free and the movies classic! I’m going to see Silent Running(1972) tonight
Yep. Biked by the other day on a trip. Posting pix now.
Dave, I must’ve just missed you! I was up in Berkshire County on Saturday August 4 photographing theatres. What day were you up there? I got pics of this one and two others in Adams as well as many others around the region.
Did you stop at the old Summer Street Theatre in Adams?
This should be listed as the Topia Arts Center now.
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Adams in Adams MA was just posted in THS Readerboard as a sample of the New England MGM collection at the THS archives. The Report has a photo dated April 1941. The theater is listed on Main Street. Built around 1920, and showing MGM product for over 10 years as of 1941. 980 seats, all on the main floor. Good condition. It had a nice marquee with “Adams” in a semi-circle above. Movies posted are “Arizona” and “Meet the Missus”. The 1941 population of Adams was 12,600. Even knowing that there were errors on these MGM reports, some of the info does not jibe with info posted above.
rsalters: There is no Main Street in Adams. There was a previous theatre called the Atlas Theatre on the site of the Adams Theatre prior to its construction 1938. The Photoplay Theatre down the street was at one time known as the Adams Opera House and thus may have also been called the Adams Theatre at one point as well.
Roger- Yes, I noticed on the Google map above that there is no Main St. The photo was taken in April 1941. The front appears to be one story-plus high, and there is a one-story shop to the left, and an older brick building at least 2 stories high to the right. I am guessing that the MGM agent photographed this theater, but somehow got the data about it confused. This theater would have been only 3 years old in 1941.