Indiana Theater

Indiana Theater in Indiana, PA does show movies seven days a week, intermixed with occasional live productions. I am the projectionist there on the weekends, we have a seating capacity of 330, a retractable screen for easy conversion from film to stage productions. We also feature Dolby Surround Sound. We show mostly second run features, but occasionally present first run shows. The owner of the building re-opened the theater from movies on Sept. 15, 2001 after a 20 year hiatus. It was solely a playhouse for the past decade.

Indiana is the hometown of James Stewart.correct? Do they have a James Stewart festival?

A brief History of the Indiana Theatre from the Indiana Theatre
The theater started as a dream of Judge John Elkin, a prominent citizen of Indiana in the early 1900s. The judge died in in 1915 before his dream became a reality. His wife, Adda, continued with the project and through Mrs. Elkin's efforts, the Indiana Theater opened July 24, 1924.
The Indiana Theater was constructed as a 1,500+ seat Vaudeville & Movie Theater. It was converted in 1928 to a much smaller theater with the addition of the upper floors within the existing structure. The conversion eliminated the fly space of the stage making it primarily a movie venue. They purchased it in June, 2000.
The theater consists of a house of 330 seats, stage, concession area and lobby. The Indiana Players, Inc. have presented plays in this space for more than adecade. They have entered into an agreement with IUP to use the theater as the location for their student film series.
They installed a new 35mm projector with a Dolby Surround Sound System. A new 12' x 24' retractable screen was installed allowing a conversion from movies to stage in 15 minutes. They are offering entertainment seven nights a week, plays, movies, art displays and meetings. In its first month of operation, they entertained almost 2,000 people in the theater.
The building is located in the heart of the Downtown Indiana. It's Marquee makes it one of the dominant structures on Philadelphia Street. It is located between two courthouses, 4.5 blocks from IUP, 2.5 blocks from the Junior High School with the High School just beyond. It is immediately adjacent to the borough-expanded 550 car parking garage.

I forgot to list the address for the Indiana Theatre, 637 Philadelphia, seating is 330.

Bob Ditt: Yes, the great actor James Stewart is originally from Indiana, PA. I don't know if there is a festival surrounding his name, but do know that there is one in the town that James Dean is orginally from in the State of Indiana. I don't recall the town name at the moment though.

You can buy a print of the theater at this link:
http://www.georgerothacker.com/ga1.detail.10.html

Yes, the Indiana Theatre is also on the above site. They are all beautiful, but especially the snowfall scene of the Indiana! I haven't checked yet, but just wondered if all of the theatres that are featured as prints are on this cinema treasures website?

http://www.jamesdean.com/community/festival/

James Dean's Indiana hometown was Fairmount.

Hello.

I am 10 years old and live in Cincinnati OH USA. I am doing a report on Indiana in my 4th grade class at St. Ursula Villa, a catholic school. In my hometown of Cincinnati. Is this the only Indiana Theater in Indiana????
Sincerely,
Peter Huffman :)

Wheelieman: Thanks for posting Peter's letter as it is so nice to read words from a 10 year old who is interested in old cinemas. Though the Indiana Theater is in Pennsylvania, I'm sure there are several theatres in Indiana that Peter can research, but probably not under that name...Indiana.

Wheelieman/Peter: Under Indiana there are 100 theatres listed and 2 of them are called Indiana Theatre....one is in Indianapolis and the other is in Terre Haute.

Indiana, Pennsylvania is the hometown of actor James Stewart. You will find a James Stewart Museum downtown and the community celebrates "It's A Wonderful Life" each Christmas season.

"www.indiana-co-pa-tourism.org"

RaneyOnline: Thanks..didn't know the community celebrates "It's A Wonderful Life" each Christmas season. That's very nice. I have the home movie so I, too, watch it each December along with Miracle on 34th Street with Natalie Wood.

www.jimmy.org will take you to the Jimmy Stewart website.

The Jimmy Stewart Museum has a screening room and regularly shows movies from his career. Every year a co-actor is given a "Harvey Award" at the museum also. You can learn more about these events by visiting the museum website or the local tourist bureau's website.

Here is a photo of the Indiana Theater in Pa.

I just met a couple at a Labor Day weekend picnic from Indiana PA and they told me that basically one person saved this theater after much controversy and that it now has a ticket kios (which the Sept. 9, '05 photo doesn't seem to show).

The marquee of the Indiana Theatre can be seen in the background of this 1945 view of James Stewart visiting his hometown prior to a very honorable discharge from military service. The Indiana was showing "Anchors Aweigh" at the time:
http://images.google.com/hosted/life/f?q=James+Stewart+source:life&imgurl=deaf04182859c0d8

Here's a closer view of the marquee. While strolling with his sister, Mary, Stewart was soon besieged by autograph hunters: http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/indiana45.jpg

1979 photo of the Indiana Theatre.
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=CATAdvancedSearch1%2c38%2c3%2c-1&catpageindex=25&catpagesize=10&ProductID=33006