Stanley Theatre

Whie operating as the Casa Italiana, all the seats were not removed. A dance floor was constructed, but seats to the front of the theatre remained. Italian language films were shown there every Sunday for close to 20 years.

I drove past this theater this morning. It is still the Newark Gospel Tabernacle. It is very close to Seton Hall University. If anyone cares enough I'll go visit the inside... when can we post pictures again?!?!?!

2002 photo:
http://www.oldnewark.com/busind/images/theatres/stanley/stanley2002.jpg

This theater is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Stanley Theater (added 1986 - Building - #86001957)
Also known as "Casa Italiana" Father Vincent Monella Center of Italian Cul
985 S. Orange Ave., Newark
Historic Significance: Event, Architecture/Engineering
Architect, builder, or engineer: Grad,Frank, MacEvoy,Warren
Architectural Style: Mission/Spanish Revival
Area of Significance: Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture
Period of Significance: 1925-1949
Owner: Private
Historic Function: Recreation And Culture
Historic Sub-function: Theater
Current Function: Recreation And Culture
Current Sub-function: Theater

A Wurlitzer organ (opus 1568) was installed in this theatre on 1/28/1927. It was then altered on 8/15/1928.

Another Wurlitzer (opus 1168) was installed at the "Italian Culture Cntr" on 1/1/1973. Not sure if this is the same location.

Listed as part of Stanley Warner Corp. in the 1956 Film Daily Yearbook.

I loved going to the Stanley theater. I lived in Newark across the street from Seton Hall University and it was a short walk. I used to go there on Saturdays in the early 1960's. I remember seeing "The Mole People" and "The Mysterians" there on the same bill. Admission was 25 cents/35 cents (matinee and evenings).They showed a lot of Hammer films with Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing as well as Abbott and Costello films too. I remember how vivid the color was on the Warner Bros. cartoons shown before the movies started. I saw "A Hard Days Night" there for the first time. It was located on S. Orange Ave. Nearby was Jimmy Buffs, a great italian hot dog spot. Bowla Bowla, a 2 story bowling alley was just down the street. ststestreet.

I remember going here when it was Casa Italiana my parents used to work there and take me there while they were working. They used to host Carnevale every February which was a big event. My communion party was in the upstairs part of the building. I would like to go back and see it. I wish I could rent it out to have my 30th birthday it would bring back a lot of memories.

Here is a great profile of the Stanley as it exists today:

http://www.newarkhistory.com/newarktabernacle.html

-John

I went there as a teenager to casa italiana!! we loved it!! the music was great and we used to see ourselves on Tv with Umberto of Naples!!

Marisa Panicucci(Craco)

Could anyone who went there when it was still Casa Italiana talk more about what it looked like and what it did? I'm a university student who is writing a large research paper about the architecture of the Stanley theaters in New Jersey, and any personal accounts (or photos if they exist!) would be much appreciated.

I have in fact been inside recently, and have taken a number of pictures, and will post the link here after I am done uploading them. They are in the early stages of undergoing a major renovation project to make several repairs and restore the building to be not only a church but a community performing art center. Exciting stuff!

Here is the Newark Gospel Tabernacle website.

To PGZ- all of the seats actually were removed at some point. Though there are seats there now, these are certainly not the original ones, which would have looked much more like the rows at the Stanley Theater in Jersey City.

Here is a 1986 photo.