Akron Civic Theatre

Greetings;
I congratulate all concerned upon the wonderful exciting realisation of restoring the magificent building. Three years ago our theatre was completely restored and in the 21st century it is a tribute to all concerned to continue offering to the new generations a picture palace.
sincerely,
Eroc kearney

Greetings:
Congratulations upon the wonderful restoration!
The Auckland Civic Theatre is so similar and having had a complete restoration in 1999 I appreciate how excited all concerned must feel - deservedly so!
sincerely
Eric Kearney

I enjoy the privilege of working for the Akron Civic as projectionist and organist. The building is exquisite and the staff is first class to work with.

Earl W. Haug

Growing up in Akron, Ohio, I remember sitting in the first row of the Loew's Theatre watching Godzilla movies with my cousin, and later in the 1960's seeing touring rock bands like the Cream, and even going backstage to see Ginger Baker packing up his drums for the next gig (though I was secretly more interested in seeing the backstage area and dressing rooms.) My grandparents and my mother spent many hours at Loew's theatre in the 1930's and 1940's, watching double features and listening to the organist between shows. That's three generations influenced by the entertainment and events at this remarkable architectural gem.
But there were other fantastic theatres in downtown Akron that I never hear about. The Colonial Theatre in particular was a magnificent jewel box of a theatre with, if I remember correctly, three rather steep and shallow baconies. I saw movies at the Colonial in the late 1950's, maybe as late as 1960, just before it closed. The balconies were always roped off with a "balcony closed" sign, which I ignored, sneaking up to get a look when the usher or ticket takers wern't looking.
Any information, or photos, of the Colonial theatre in downtown Akron would be greatly appreciated.
Mark Wagner
Norwalk, CT

I saw my first ballet, Coppelia, here as a young child in the mid-1960s.

Interior photo & great biography on Eberson:
http://www.neo.rr.com/Civic/html/john_eberson.html

Small old photo & biography on Marcus Loew: (note: this site's hyperlinks don't function):

http://www.neo.rr.com/Civic/html/marcus_loew_.html

My neighbor is from Akron Ohio and told me that this theatre is a MUST-SEE when in Akron Ohio! And the above site that TC posted says that the first atmospheric was in Houston Texas!

Recent color photos of this theatre can be found on the site: "America's Stunning Theatres" by photographer and stagehand Noah Kern at: http://www.pbase.com/affablebeef/theatres Comments and information may be left there without registration; such can be public view or only to Mr. Kern. Scroll down the page to find the name, and then click on the sample image above it to be taken to the page of photos of it.

LIke previous commentor from 2004, Mark Wagner, I too grew up in Akron and went to Lowes to see the BIG movies. Then in 1967 I saw Cream play in Lowes. Like Mark, I too ran back stage after to talk to Eric Clapton. He wasn't thrilled with the lack of security and just growled at us and turned and went out to his Limo.

Paul Green

When was this theatre renamed from Loew's to Civic? When I saw that ballet somewhere between 1965 and 1968, the theatre was called the Civic. But Paul recalls it being called Loew's in 1967.

The organist for many years was "Wild Oscar" at the Mighty Wurlitzer organ (which is still playing!) I recall seeing Patti Page, the singing rage (Tennessee Waltz, etc) on stage and "Oscar" performing prior to the movie starting. Loved seeing all of the MGM musicals on the "Huge" screen, too. The Civic (Akron Loews) is a tremendous asset to the City of Akron and a tribute to those responsible for preserving an old "Movie Palace" -- MarqueeMan

Yes, Ron, this theatre WAS renamed from Loew's Akron to the Akron Civic. (The new name came with the restoration.)

Here is an interesting link with a history of theaters in Akron:
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hills/5405/theaters.htm

I find several pages such as this, this, and this which say that the Loew's became the (non-profit) Civic in 1965.

The last is a Google cache of a Beacon Journal article from Oct. 27, 2002, about the many acts that have graced the Civic's stage over the years -- starting with Milton Berle in 1929.

Loew's Akron Theatre, 1929-1964
Akron Civic Theatre 2000-

I had the great pleasure of spending many hours in this treasure in the process of documenting the existing theatre and helping to design its restoration at Wilson Butler Lodge Architects in Boston, MA. The firm, now Wilson Butler, is one of a handful of top-notch entertainment architecture firms in the US. See http://www.wilsonbutler.com/ for some beautiful photos of the restoration & the new additions –see “Arts/Entertainment” & then “Civic Theatre, Akron, Ohio.” I am very proud to have been a member of the team that contributed to restoring this palace so that it will continue to be a vital arts center for Ohio in the 21st century. Anthony Vogel, designer/graphic artist/journalist, Arlington, MA

The beautiful photographs seen on the Wilson Butler website noted above were taken by the fine architectural photographer Robert Benson. Please see the Robert Benson Photography website for a couple of additional shots of the theatre:
http://robertbensonphoto.com/entertainment/entertainment.html
A description of the Wilson Butler Lodge restoration project of the Akron Civic Theatre may be found at the Auditoria website:
http://www.auditoria.tv/index.php?page=news&id=609&PHPSESSID=9315d7674a6941d7e8b995fd95b6bffd

Anthony Vogel, designer/graphic artist/journalist, Arlington, MA

The Loew's Akron Theatre opened on April 20th, 1929.

I just went through the list of theatres that were or are still in Akron and it numbered 23! That is quite a remarkable number of theatres, on record, for one community!

Here is a vintage photo of the Loew's Akron Theater.

Lost Memory: Great vintage photo and the marquee is wonderful so hope it is still in place and intact!

Patsy....I wonder if the crowd in front of the theater was waiting to see a movie or were they lined up for the going out of business sale at the hardware store. :)

Lost Memory: Good question and so I shall take a closer look at that photo!

I can't figure out why the platform is there below the marquee, but did also notice that the theatre's tile roof design is very similar to the roof design found on the Carolina Theatre in downtown Charlotte NC.

For a small narrow front facade it's hard to believe that this theatre is listed as seating over 2,000!

It looks like it says Douglas Fairbanks on the marquee. Maybe he was making a personal appearance that day and that could be the purpose of the platform. Or, that was a really good sale at the hardware store and I missed it.

Lost Memory: LOL! I'd say that perhaps DF was making a personal appearance that day, but just a guess as pictures don't literally speak.

I saw Tom Waits here this past summer, what an amazing theatre! Sad that I couldn't take a camera inside...

Regarding the article:

A college town is a small town dominated by it's college population. The majority is traditional university student aged, and the community centers on making it's business on those students.
Akron is not a college town. Akron is a city that flourished on it's canal and industry in rubber, that happens to also have a university. It is now the county seat of Summit County and has a population of over 200,000.

Agreed. I lived in Akron as a kid and it was most definitely not a college town. Columbus, where I lived later, has somewhat more of a claim on that label, but the real college towns in Ohio are places like Gambier (Kenyon), Athens (Ohio U), and Oxford (Miami U).

This is a must-see Eberson atmospheric theatre for Patsy!

i grew up in akron during the 40s and early 50s, before our family moved to n.j. the highland theater was where we went to the saturday matinees for kids...we were regulars at the downtown first run movies, strand, palace, colonial and loew's, which was dotted with tiny stars in its high ceiling and which featured mgm films....the highlight of going to loew's was the organist, wild oscar, who provided entertainment between movies...he would rise from the bowels of the theater on a lighted platform and speak into a microphone....a couple of second run theaters were also among my favorites...slightly seedy, but featuring lots of good double bills...the forum and the orpheum....great place to grow up.

This is another photo of the Civic Theater.

i am sure the civic theater is a wonderful venue. but, good grief, i remember loews as being a much bigger theater in the 1940s & 50s.of course, i was a young kid then so i'm sure that colored my perspective. it was in the middle of main street which was thriving. today, the neighborhood looks somewhat seedy. i realize that looks can be deceiving, and a lot of changes can transpire in a half century. and maybe downtown wasn't quite as bustling as i remember it. but i think there was a very nice restaurant on the other side of main street, not too far from loews, called the garden grill. there was also a lovely restaurant not too far from the colonial theater, that
offered complimentary sweet rolls and parker rolls with lunch and dinner. i think it was called kazee's (phonetic spelling)

We enjoyed two fine shows at Loew's Akron during 2007 -- coming from Virginia to visit this historic venue. The second ahow was CARMEN and we were pleased to see such a grand production and pay a low price.

New Yorkers, who truly do believe that civilization does not exist west of the Hudson, ought to see this theatre. It is so much like Loew's Paradise -- which NY people fondly remember but few visit since it's 2006 reopening. One difference is that the Paradise is in the still dangerous Bronx and going there is a true risk. In comparison, the AKRON venue is obviously in a low crime city. After all, downtown Akron is crawling with police and jaywalking is a crime I would not care to risk there.

Prices at Loew's AKRON in 2007 are startlingly low: $20 to $30.

Here is a more recent photo of the Akron Civic Theater.

Lost Memory: Nice photo of the marquee and surrounding area. I never made a trip to Akron, but hope to in '08.

And that marquee used to read LOEW'S.

Here are some recent photos of the Akron Civic Theater. Click each photo to expand it.

I didn't get to Akron this summer to see this atmospheric, but hopefully next June when the Broadway musical, Jersey Boys comes to the Cleveland area.

This is a 2008 photo.

Thanks for the photo Lost Memory. I realize the site restrictions caused it to be so narrow, but it's still hard to believe that behind that entrance is a 2600 seat theatre! Perhaps patrons exited at a different location. If not, it's really hard to imagine how that many people could enter and exit through such a small passageway. I would think this must have impacted the length of time between shows back during its busy days as a movie house.

The marquee says MARTIN SCORSESE'S SHINE A [something hidden]. Does this mean that the theatre still shows movies occasionally?

According to the schedule at their website, movies are still shown here. Movies are scheduled for 7/29/2008 to 7/31/2008. Free Movie Night at The Civic Theatre.

I will be traveling to the Akron OH area on October 14th so will check out this theatre and report back!

Can anyone give more information about this theatre's Mighty Wurlitzer?

If you went on October 11, you could attend an organ concert.

I'll be returning from Hershey on October 11...darn!

Maybe you can catch it another time. Here is something else for you to read.

I wonder why the name Loew's wasn't kept along with the marquee?

"Of the three Eberson theatres surviving in Ohio, this is by far the largest and most elaborate." I have seen the Palace in Canton, Ohio but not the one in Marion, Ohio so will be anxious to see this atmospheric and its "stars"!

I don't know why they didn't retain the name Loew's. If you do go to the Akron Civic Theater, ask someone at the theater. Maybe they know the answer.

Lost: You read my mind! LOL! I will call the box office on Monday as they don't seem to provide an email address.

http://theatreorgans.com/au/opus/

This site provided some Wurlitzer/Akron Civic information. And I did locate the ED's email address so have sent Mr. Parr a notice of my wanting a tour of the Akron Civic and its atmospheric charm!

Patsy....

Great Minds Think Alike

1979 photo of the Civic Theatre.
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=CATAdvancedSearch1%2c35%2c3%2c-1&catpageindex=5&catpagesize=25&ProductID=31511
1982 photo of the Civic theatre.
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=CATAdvancedSearch1%2c35%2c3%2c-1&catpagesize=25&ProductID=31513
2004 photo of the Civic Theatre.
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=CATAdvancedSearch1%2c35%2c3%2c-1&catpagesize=25&ProductID=31514

1951 Loew's Akron Theatre.
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=CATAdvancedSearch1%2c35%2c3%2c-1&catpageindex=6&catpagesize=25&ProductID=31542

There is a brand-new CD recording of the Akron Civic's Mighty WurliTzer by a leading practitioner of the art, Jelani Eddington... I am listening to it as I type :)

Songs range from Leroy Anderson arrangements to "Totally Devoted To You" from Grease to Aaron Copland's "Hoe-Down", a fantastic recording!

rjeproductions.com is the place to get it online.

This is another 1979 photo.

The Civic Theater can be seen in this photo.

Here is a June 1931 ad.

This is a 1930 ad for "The Big House".

I hope to tour this theatre this week!

November 10th is the tour date this month which starts at noon and they are free to the public each month.

Have a nice tour! This is another 2004 photo.

The tour has been postponed until next spring, but I did receive in the mail today a lovely booklet that was offered in 2002 when the theatre re-opened after a massive restoration project. It is free by just calling the box office number that is given on their website.

My tour has been postponed, not the tour..in general as they have monthly tours.