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Home » Theater Guide » Location » United States » Connecticut » Waterbury » Poli's Theater

Poli's Theater

Waterbury, CT
145 East Main Street
, Waterbury, CT 06702 United States
(map)
Status: Closed/Demolished
Screens: Single Screen
Style: Unknown
Function: Unknown
Seats: 1200
Chain: Unknown
Architect: Unknown
Firm: Unknown
Add a photo for this theater!
Poli's Theater opened on Dec. 19, 1897 next to the Broadway Casino, which later became the site of the State Theater. Poli's saw such luminaries as the Drews, the Barrymores, Sarah Bernhardt and George M. Cohan traipse across its stage during its heyday. It closed in the 1930s.

The old Poli's is not to be confused with the Loew's Poli, the site of the newly renovated Palace Theater.
Contributed by an ex Waterburian

YOUR COMMENTS

 
Poli's Theater may also have been known as Fon's Theatre, which is the sign on the side of the Poli's building in the postcard photo at http://www.cinematour.com/location/usa/ct/tourct/wbpoli01.jpg

There is also a small photo of a postcard showing Poli's and the Broadway Casino at http://216.247.8.124/pixfiles/382.jpg

Poli's Theater closed in 1928, but the building is still standing next to the Waterbury UConn campus (photo at http://www.cinematour.com/location/usa/ct/tourct/waterpo1.jpg )
posted by An Ex Waterburian on Sep 4, 2006 at 10:48am
Shirley Grey http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0336956/bio was born in Naugatuck CT and moved to Waterbury in 1917. She graduated from Wilby High School in 1919 and began her acting career with Sylvester Poli's stock theater company, The Poli Players', shortly thereafter. While with the Poli Players, she performed in weekly stock performances throughout Poli's chain of theaters, and performed with the Poli Players until 1924. Grey performed in more than 45 films during her brief movie career from 1930 to 1935 http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0336956/
posted by An Ex Waterburian on Sep 16, 2006 at 8:33am
"Poli's Theater may also have been known as Fon's Theatre, which is the sign on the side of the Poli's building in the postcard photo..." I don't believe this is accurate. The postcard in the first link here has been touched up by someone who is not familiar with the photo image from which the postcard was made. This touched up postcard also repaired the "STORAGE" sign. Interestingly enough, the image in the second link, http://216.247.8.124/pixfiles/382.jpg , is an accurate reproduction of this postcard. Note: the fancy "L" in the Poli name and the broken "STORAGE" sign. Please compare the two images to confirm.
posted by Raymond Poli on Aug 30, 2007 at 8:58am
The info I have says it opened on December 15, but what the hey, 4 days. 1,200 seats. At the time, it was the largest stage in the country. Pictures are on page 56 of Images of America: Waterbury.
posted by shoeshoe14 on Sep 26, 2007 at 11:03pm
The building that still stands is the lobby building. The theatre portion is long gone.
posted by Roger Katz on Sep 27, 2007 at 8:10pm
This is another postcard view of Poli's Theater. It was probably posted before but that link no longer works.

posted by Lost Memory on Feb 14, 2008 at 1:59pm
Another POLI,s down the tubes.
posted by tlsloews on Feb 22, 2010 at 3:19pm
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