Not a member yet? Register now.

Search

Theaters News Links

Advanced search
 

Theater Guide

Now listing 26,624 theaters & 1,598 photos… more
Browse by...
• Architect
• Chain
• Firm
• Function
• Location
• Newest
• Photo
• Screens
• Seats
• Status
• Style
• Updated
• VR
 

Add Your Cinema Treasure!

Add Theater
Add Photo (offline)
Add Theater News
 

Newest Theaters

Nov 21 Louisville…
Nov 21 Grand Cinema
Nov 21 Broadlands Cinema
Nov 21 Miners' Welfare…
Nov 21 Miners' Welfare…
Nov 20 Welfare Hall…
Nov 20 Starlighter…
Nov 20 Port City Music…
Nov 20 Mid City 3…
Nov 20 SouthGlenn Stadium
more new theaters
 

Recent Comments

Nov 21 Brooklyn… (298)
Nov 21 Regal Cinema (8)
Nov 21 Stratford Theater (26)
Nov 21 Egyptian 24 (35)
Nov 21 Gateway Theater (65)
Nov 21 Ramova Theater (48)
Nov 21 Mayfair Cinema (3)
Nov 21 AMC Loews… (50)
Nov 21 Paramount Theatre (9)
Nov 21 Starlighter… (1)
 

Updated Theaters

Nov 21 Donner Theatre
Nov 21 North Adams Garden
Nov 21 Hudson Movieplex 8
Nov 21 Glenwood Theatre
Nov 21 Seville Theatre
Nov 21 Civic Theatre
Nov 21 Music Box Theatre
Nov 21 Moore Theater
Nov 21 Pantages Theater
Nov 21 Seventh Street…
more updated theaters
 
 
   Discover. Preserve. Protect.
Home » Theater Guide » Location » United States » Ohio » Middletown » Sorg Opera House
Also known as Sorg's Opera House, Sorg Theatre, Colonial Theatre

Sorg Opera House

Middletown, OH
57 S. Main Street
, Middletown, OH 45044 United States
(map)
513.425.0180
Status: Open
Screens: Single Screen
Style: Beaux-Arts, Romanesque Revival
Function: Opera House
Seats: 855
Chain: Unknown
Architect: Samuel Hannaford
Firm: Samuel Hannaford & Son
Add a photo for this theater!
Opened on September 12, 1891, the Sorg Opera House is one of the oldest surviving performing arts theatres in the state and country. It offers excellent sight-lines and accoustics.

A 1,200 seat capacity was acheived by providing 520 in the orchestra level, 240 in the 1st balcony and 440 in the 2nd balcony. The upper balcony has been closed since the 1940's. I hope to see it restored one day in the near future.

It is a proscenium theatre with a stage house and fly loft, which made it far more versatile than the standard "box" theatre with roll-up scenery. It was remodeled as the Colonial Theatre in the 1940's to accomodate movies only. The upper balcony was closed and a false ceiling added to reduce the reverb from the excellent accoustics. The projection booth is on the upper balcony, and a cut-out provided in the false ceiling so the picture can reach the stage. Basically, the theatre is historically authentic to 1891.
Contributed by Gary Smith

YOUR COMMENTS

 
In the 1945 Film Daily Yearbook, this theater is still listed as "Sorg's Opera House" with a seat count of 750 (no address given). By the 1951 Film Daily Yearbook, it is listed as the Colonial, seating 855, with no address given again.
posted by Bryan Krefft on Oct 12, 2007 at 4:09pm
This is a 1914 photo of the Sorg Opera building in Middletown. Here is a 1900 interior view.

posted by Lost Memory on Oct 12, 2007 at 4:23pm
This is a postcard view from 1912 and here is an 1895 exterior view. Notice that the 1912 postcard reads "Sorg's".

posted by Lost Memory on Oct 12, 2007 at 4:38pm
The current name is Sorg's Opera House.

posted by Lost Memory on Jan 27, 2008 at 4:13pm
Based on what I'm reading here, I may have been the last exhibitior to rent the Sorg in 1986. I operated the theatre only for about 4 months. I reopened the theatre with GONE WITH THE WIND for a invitational night for the Friends of the Sorg, a group dedicated to protecting and preserving the theater. The Sorg was known as the Colonial at that time and so to honor the group I operated the theatre as the Sorg Colonial. The projection booth had 35mm RCA projectors with Brenkert carbon arc lamphouses with tube type amps for magnetic sound. I upgraded the booth with xenon lighting, automation, an Eprad double mutt film transport system a Dolby stereo processor. stereo.
posted by titusquire on Feb 24, 2008 at 9:32pm
The projection booth was located at the top of the 2nd balcony which was equipped with benches with an outside entry and box office for patrons of color in days long gone by. The stage was complete for live entertainment as it was when it opened. The stage front wasn't that wide and any CinemaScope movies were shown with the masking reducing the size of the screen. The theatre was beautifully maintained at the time and restoration would have been minimal. I tried several programing methods including discount subrun and art films and couldn't make a go of it. Competition was tough for a single screen. I closed the theatre in July of 1986.
posted by titusquire on Feb 24, 2008 at 9:42pm
I would love anything I could find on the Opera House. I love this place and work here with it now, I have so many things I want to do here if only money grew on trees.Ha Ha. But I have fallen in love so I have goals and dreams. I would have love to have seen Gone With The Wind here. I would also like to see the friends of the Sorg back in place again. This is a great place for our community.
posted by sunandmoonconnie on Mar 4, 2008 at 1:04pm
1981 photo of the Colonial Theatre.
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=CATAdvancedSearch1%2c35%2c3%2c-1&catpagesize=25&ProductID=32183
posted by Chuck1231 on Apr 26, 2009 at 10:02pm
Comment
*

Notify me when someone replies to my comment?
Note: Please read our comment policy before posting. Comments which are off-topic, obscene, spam, or personal attacks will be removed. Help us keep the discussion productive!