Palace Theatre
165 Main Street,
Danbury,
CT
06810
165 Main Street,
Danbury,
CT
06810
7 people
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Okay, the CT Film Fest is now officially in downtown Danbury from May 20-25. Venues for films and presentations will be in the Heirloom Arts Theatre (formerly Empress Ballroom), Library Plaza, the Grassy Alley between Family Dollar and that other building, Danbury Music Centre and just announced, The Palace! No details on where in the theater at this time.
Well, duh! hehe.
Hey shoeshoe, if you do get your behind-the-scenes tour, be sure to bring a camera!
I met Joe DaSilva for the first time on Friday night at the CT Film Fest in Norwalk at the Regent 8 and the gala afterwards at the Palace Digital Studios. He was with his new partners in crime/renaissance, Andrea Gartner from City Center and Carter Boyajian of the Sculpture Barn. He’s quite attentive and friendly, the opposite of all the rumors. We had some good conversation about the Palace and he said I’m welcome to come by when they’re working to get a behind the scenes tour.
Apparently, his friends and himself have heard of this guy called “Shoeshoe14” and only recently put my name to my face. Small world.
BigWoo, 203-748-9112
Does anyone have a phone number for Joe DaSilva? I am interested in doing the restoration of the marble statue in the lobby.
Thanks in advance
Yay finally some good news! :D
I can’t wait for it to open.
Wow! DaSilva has changed his tune in the latest issue of Hat City Entertainment and wants to fix it up and “give” it to the city! (Last night, Danbury’s Common Council voted to approve $75K for the CT film fest).
The article was called “Polishing a Gem” and here is the meat.
“We are taking it forward and fact-finding at the same time,” said J Joe DaSilva, current owner…he is working diligently to revitalize the building…"
With numerous legal pieces which need to be addressed, such as the venue’s non-profit status, funding, grants and the issue of historical preservation…
“…it is going to be reopened, but we have no date in mind…we are looking to restore it as best as we can as a performing arts theatre for both live shows and movies – and then anything else.”
The upper and lower lobbies are also earmarked for the possibility of creating exhibition space for local artists and/or sculptors.
…two lower level 500-seat theatres and the 1,000 seat upper balcony area. Eventually…intention is to make it into one 2,000-seat venue.
Currently in process are inspections that will determine exactly what needs to be done to the theatre for its impending restoration…DaSilva reports that the Palace has been well preserved…multi-faceted venue…we want to attract everything available, just about anything will be allowed…use by Danbury High, WCSU…work will not nearly be completed in time (by December 2008).
DaSilva is hopeful that some areas of the theatre could be ready in time for the (CT Film) Festival’s May stop, possibly to show some of the films in the smaller theatres.
“It is getting very exciting,” DaSilva enthused.
Page 17 of the newest edition of the Fairfield County Business Journal has a pic of the newly renovated Palace marquee, sandwiched between a pic of Marcus Dairy and the old Filene’s. It’s titled, “Dynamic Danbury” but the article makes no mention of the Palace.
Thanks for the photos. Clearly a work in progress, with mixed results. That ceiling fan, though, is a real buzz-kill — obviously a Home Depot special and not remotely original decor!
My friend set up a link on his page with all my Palace pics. Enjoy folks!
http://gallery.mac.com/joeaguy#100046
The last one is #208, the other ones are from NYE.
The program guide which had a cornice on the front was called “Reveal: What Lies Behind the Facade, told about how this event came together with DaSilva and the Boyajian’s, (Carter and Peter, husband and wife) who are sculptors and designers. They also have lots of sculptures at the Sculpture Barn in New Fairfield, quite cool if you haven’t been there.
Anyway, it says, “Recently, I received a phone call from Joe DaSilva, the sole property owner of the Palace, to inquire about what it would take to restore a Carrara marble statue from the late 1800s by Tadolini, located in the lobby…”
I am happy to hear that the lobby was not in bad shape. I am so glad that the statue (we called her Esmerelda) was still there and that many of the old fixures remain. I had heard that on the last night the theater was open the employees had a field day in there. Glad to hear they didn’t destroy everything.
One more thing. I stopped in earlier in the day to talk to Gartner and she told me that the person I had known who was renovating, was untrue! DaSilva had never heard of him. That’s weird. Why would he make that up? Oh well.
Alright. I went to First Night earlier at the Palace. The marquee’s letters were glowing in red. My friend’s country/bluegrass/ragtime trio was playing in the inside foyer (Ernest Hem'n Haw and the Shotgun Republic). The ad for the opening night of the Palace that’s also in the Local History Room of the Danbury Library was in the lobby as well as older pictures. The long hallway, wood paneling, mirrors, floors and decorative lamps were all restored-looking. There was some spotty paint splotches of old and the downslope to the lobby was beautiful. I had never been there before as I had moved there when it had closed.
The grand lobby had the multimedia installation and there was a great plaster statue in the center. Since the room was oval, there was a sheet strung from first level ceiling to the floor in front of you (and the statue) and around to the left and right sides in front of the stairwells). There was a dancer in all blue tights dancing behind them to the violin music. There were multi-colored stage lights on the floor giving an eerie and beautiful scope. If you looked straight up you saw a small blue ellipse of light moving back and forth.
The ballustrade oval was great and everything was touched up including the Corynthian columns and large lamps. At the top of the oval ballustrade were (original?) gas lamps with blue light bulbs, almost like a candelabra in 4 spots giving off a great ambience. There was a violinist upstairs playing. The installation was a projector overhead that showed pictures for about 5 seconds per frame, so it lasted about 10-15 minutes of all pics the artist was allowed to take of the theatre, including original washtubs in the bathrooms, stagehouse, fly, auditorium, old reels stacked, etc.
I took about 40 pictures with my new digital camera. I’ll set up a page and post a link shortly so you can see them.
Andrea Gartner, new ED of City Center Danbury has recently put the landlord, now sole owner, DaSilva in touch with her friends in theatre restoration folks.
The volunteers gave generic responses to the crowd and it wasn’t my time to correct them, like “there’s a new resurgence to spruce up this gem.” BS. since the Dyer administration in the 70s. Or how water mains broke in there years back and it was a shame. The shame was owning a building and keeping the taxes paid and having it still lit inside and not having anyone see it and letting it go to…ok i’ll stop.
Happy new year!
Wo — for a moment there, I thought you meant the guy from Grand Funk Railroad… then I realized he was Mark Farner, not Mike Farmer!
Also, I’ve been re-writing an old article on the history of the Danbury music scene (1960-present) and there’s a nice tidbit. The Palace was used as a live music venue from 1968-1970. The shows were produced by Mike Farmer, a local and there were many local bands playing there as well as national bands like Rhinoceros and MC5.
Alright folks! Looks like it’s underway. All the letters on the marquee are now up and repainted. Beams are exposed, ladders are onsite. Only a few days left. If you want to see the theatre on Dec. 31, spend $5 on a button that gets you to all the venues downtown. It’s from 4-8pm. I’ll be there with camera in hand.
Mostly likely not. I’m a junior at Danbury High School.
Cheshir, do we know each other? I was the drummer in Phoenix Tree and worked with the Hat City Free Press.
I plan on going on the 31st. I have never seen the inside of the theater and I’ve always wondered what it looks like.
I really hope DaSilva does open it as a community theater. My internship at Billy Baloney’s seems to have hit a wall because there haven’t been any shows since October and it would be nice to have another place to intern at.
That’s a shame. But at least there apparently ARE still “plaster cornices, murals, brass fixtures and satin wall coverings” — unlike what’s happened to so many other theaters. And hopefully, if attention is called to them, they’ll remain.
There was an article in Danbury’s News-Times this past Monday about reviving the First Night.
The new ED of City Center (Andrea Gartner) is a really cool lady and she’s not like the past ED’s. She’s progressive and honest and she even acquired a huge side of a building where there is now a gigantic mural in the center of town. That building is owned by DaSilva and she had to meet with him several times just so she could realize her vision. She plans to do a new one each year.
At least 5 or 6 years ago, the Palace was one of many venues for First Night and the marquee was turned on but the slap in the face to the community was half the letters had already fallen off and the others were lit up. It was half assed.
Now…the headline.
“First Night to put theater in the spotlight
Multimedia show to reveal what lies behind the Palace Theater facade”
Performance artist and designer Carter Boyajian’s sound, light and video montage will highlight the architectural jewels of the building, which include plaster cornices, murals, brass fixtures and satin wall coverings.
DaSilva said, “While there have been First Night events in the theater in the past, this will be a more artistic approach of the theater itself…It’s something that’s long overdue and necessary to add some life into the revitalization of the downtown. There is a lot of positive energy surrounding the theater in recent months.”
There’s been positive energy ever since it closed in 1995 and even more so in the 70s when Mayor Dyer wanted to use it for the community but was rebuffed!
Btw, the touchups that I’ve been seeing were for this event on First Night. Except the marquee is still dilapidated!
DaSilva also said there had been recent explorations into the possibility of opening the building as a community theater to showcase live performances and films.
Sure he’s turned a leaf, but I don’t buy it. We used to sublet from him and he’s not so good.
Alright folks, these quotes by DaSilva are either BS or BS. He never speaks publicly about the Palace or anything and has always refused to turn over the Palace to the community. Of course as stated above, I know 1 person who is restoring the place and has for the last 5 years. From a capitalistic standpoint, if you own so much property in Danbury, why give it up and instead you can make millions if you sell it to an outside interest. I understand. But seriously, check the next post out.
I was going to post that today but you beat me to it. I don’t know. A few weeks ago there were paper bags on the interior of the doors, now tarps. With DaSilva, anything’s possible. If you read the above post you’ll see my post about a friend of a friend working on the renovation. He’s been doing it solo for 6 years.