Leeds Center for the Arts

The Winchester;s New Theatre Beautiful was opened on May 8, 1925 with “The Golden Bed”. Located in downtown Winchester, named in a contest after its owner, S.D. Lee (by moving around the letters of his name). On July 8, 1925 it was renamed Leeds Theatre. It was one of the earliest buildings in Winchester to have air-conditioning. By 1950 it was operated by Chakeres Theaters Inc. The Leeds Theatre operated as one of the city’s four movie houses until closing on January 25, 1987 with Walt Disney’s animated feature “Lady and the Tramp” & Rutger Hauer in “Wanted: Dead or Alive”. Closure was due to a decline in both attendance and the general upkeep of the theatre.

Soon after the Leeds Theatre closing, the Winchester Council for the Arts was formed with the goal of bringing the performing arts to Winchester and restoring the old theatre to its original appearance. After four years of fundraising, the WCA did purchase the Leeds Theatre to restore and renovate it for over $1.5 million.

It was reopened in 1990 as the Leeds Center for the Arts. New lighting and sound equipment was installed, a new and larger stage was built, and the interior was painted to replicate the original color scheme of 1925. The stunning Art Deco marquee with its rainbow colors was relit and has ever since welcomed visitors coming to see the plays, musicals, concerts and other various performing arts events which the theater hosts. Classic movies are screened on the third Sunday over every month.

The Leeds Theatre was featured in a 1998 painting by artist Davis Cone, showing the marquee at night, and can be seen in the 2001 book, “Popcorn Palaces”.

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dallasmovietheaters on November 27, 2024 at 6:52 am

When the Liberty Theatre burned on May 8, 1925, Winchester’s New Theatre Beautiful opened on May 18, 1925 with “The Golden Bed.” That name was used for two months. A naming contest was held and Leeds was the winner with venue using using that name first on July 8, 1925 at the formal grand opening with “The Little French Girl.” The venue closed on January 25, 1987 with “Lady and the Tramp” splitting with “Wanted Dead or Alive.”