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The Historic Palace Theatre in Lockport, NY, is a proscenium-arch-style space built in 1925 by Charles Dickinson. The decor is an eclectic mix of art deco and Italian Renaissance styles and is a replica of New York City's Famous Paramount Theatre.
The Palace was on the cutting edge of technology. Besides being technologically advanced with air conditioning, a pipe organ, and an orchestra pit, it was also exquisitely decorated. The murals on the ceiling still exist today.
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We would like to thank the volunteers for the hours they have donated to the Historic Palace Theatre and for their dedication in keeping this piece of history alive. Please contact us if you would like to be involved. For more information on how to be a part of our great shows or to rent the space for a production or event, please call the Palace at 716.438.1130.
HISTORY: In 1907, there were five theatres in Lockport, the Bijou, the Arcana, the Orpheum, the Hippodrome and the Hodge Opera House. The next movie house to join the Lockport roster is the only one of the six standing today and it is the hero of this story. Its name is the Historic Palace Theatre and it lives at Two East Avenue, right here in the heart of downtown Lockport, New York.
The first movie to play at the Palace was Cecil B. DeMille's, "The Ten Commandments," on July 18, 1925. The Palace continued to show movies, but they also added vaudeville acts and entertainment such as John Phillip Sousa's Band and the U.S. Marine Corps Band.
Dickinson leased the Palace originally to Publix Theatre Corporation. In 1928, it was leased to the Schine Company after the dissolution of Publix. Schine operated the Palace from 1928 through 1942. They purchased the theatre in 1942 just in time to show Casablanca. At this time, the only theatres left in Lockport were the Palace and the Rialto. In 1957, the Rialto too shut its doors. In 1969, County Wide began operating the Palace.
In 1972, there was a gas explosion in the theatre that many feared would spell the end of the Palace. However, it was sold to Granchelli Real Estate Developers, who opened a revamped Palace with a concession stand in 1974. In 1988, theatre manager, Bob Burns, had a sound system installed that not only had three large behind-the-screen speakers, but also a plethora of mounted wall speakers for surround sound.
In 1999, Lockport's musical production company, Curtain Up Productions, held its first show at the Palace. Later in 1999, the Schratz, Shaw, and Kurbs families began leasing the Palace to continue Curtain Up and other musical productions. The theatre is now operated by a nonprofit board of directors.
The building has been updated and reworked many times over the last 81 years, and because of that, many details such as lighting fixtures, paint schemes, and the concession stand have been changed, compromising some of the building's aesthetics. Efforts to restore the space to its original beauty began in 1999. Please take a minute to step back in history - View Palace History
Irving Clark, the head usher in 1927, shares his Recollections of the Palace.
If you have any memories or photos of the Palace that you would like to share with us, we would be more than happy to publish them on our website.
Efforts to restore the space to its original beauty continue thanks to Dr. and Mrs. Schratz and the rest of the Palace Theatre Board of Directors. The Palace is always looking for help along the way. The more interest there is in this absolutely magnificent structure, the better chance we will have of succeeding in what seems like a daunting task.
Please take a look around our website, and glance back into the history of the Historic Palace Theatre. Imagine how amazing this building was in its day and the potential it could have in the future. |
