Crown Uptown Theatre
3207 E. Douglas Avenue,
Wichita,
KS
67218
3207 E. Douglas Avenue,
Wichita,
KS
67218
2 people
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Crown Uptown Theatre (Official)
Additional Info
Architects: Carl Boller, Robert O. Boller
Firms: Boller Brothers
Functions: Dinner Theater, Live Performances
Styles: Atmospheric, Spanish Moorish
Previous Names: Uptown Theatre
Phone Numbers:
Box Office:
316.681.1566
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Apr 1, 2013 — "2001: A Space Odyssey" 45th Anniversary – The Cinerama Engagements
- Jan 23, 2013 — REMEMBERING CINERAMA (Part 57: Wichita)
The Uptown Theatre opened on July 16, 1928 with Al Jolson in “The Jazz Singer”. It operated as as a first run venue. It went through a remodel and conversion to Cinerama in 1961.
It ran 3 strip Cinerama from 10/25/61 thru 2/11/64 and then converted to 70mm running Cinerama still and then road show presentations. It closed in 1975 only to go through another remodel and conversion to a dinner theatre in 1976 presenting broadway style shows. It was given the new name at that time of the Crown Uptown Theatre.
They also renovated the theatrs 1920’s style marquee and vertical to its original beauty.
Myself and six other pilots took in the show and dinner (buffet style) in 2003. The food was good but the show was outstanding. The theatre is a real beauty.
Contributed by
Chuck Van Bibber
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Recent comments (view all 11 comments)
Check out the link below for a very cool 360 Degree tour of the auditorium as it looks now after a beautiful restoration/renovation. Don’t forget to look up at the sky.
View link
This was one of the first Boller Brothers atmospheric theatres. The auditorium was to have the ambience of a Spanish/Moorish open-air courtyard. The Boller Brothers also used similar designs for the Granada in Kansas City, KS and the Poncan in Ponca City, OK among others.
An issue of “Marquee” states theatre opened on 16 Jul 1928 and originally had 1464 seats.
My wife and I recently visited this theatre. We happened to be in this area of Wichita and were lucky enough to be given a tour. The lobby, highlighted by impressive light fixtures and wooden columns, has been restored. Although it has been converted to dinner theatre and the seats removed to make way for tables, the auditorium is still quite beautiful. The overall feeling truly is one of being outside with a twinkling night sky overhead. The Crown Uptown is yet another example of a Boller Brothers masterpiece.
The Crown Uptown is Wichita’s first atmospheric theater. The Orpheum Theatre on 200 N. Broadway is considered pre-atmospheric.
Another 1928 Boller Bros. atmospheric simular to the Uptown was the (1928-1952) Ritz Theatre in Oklahoma City, which was razed long ago.
Ted Morris the owner and founder of the Crown Uptown died December 30, 2008. It is truly a loss for the Wichita theater community.
http://www.kansas.com/news/story/648503.html
Okay, May 15 1974 has All seats 50 cents for “EXECUTIVE ACTION” and “THE GETAWAY'.
The Uptown opened on July 16, 1928. The first movie was “The Jazz Singer”, starring Al Jolson.
Grand opening ads at
and
Uptown Theatre opening 2 15 Jul 1928, Sun The Wichita Eagle (Wichita, Kansas) Newspapers.com
Grand opening ads posted.
On cusp of demolition, December 3 vote by city council will decide on allowing expansion but current owner reportedly will tear down if denied (paywalled story in today’s Wichita Eagle although the local KSN-TV website has a free November 21 2024 feature on the situation).