Wellmont Theatre
5 Seymour Street,
Montclair,
NJ
07042
5 Seymour Street,
Montclair,
NJ
07042
10 people
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Wellmont Theatre (Official)
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Roberts Theaters, Stanley-Warner Theatres, Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp.
Architects: Douglas Pairman Hall, Paul C. Reilly
Firms: Reilly & Hall
Functions: Concerts, Special Events
Phone Numbers:
Box Office:
973.783.9500
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Jan 18, 2008 — Info on Reilly & Hall
- May 24, 2006 — Historic Wellmont Theatre for Sale or Lease!
The Wellmont Theatre was built in 1922 as a legitimate theatre and converted into a motion picture theatre in 1929. The original entrance on the main avenue was 400 Bloomfield Avenue.
By 1941 it was operated by Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp. In 1951, it was listed with a seating capacity of 2,137. In the 1970’s, the theatre was triplexed and the entry was moved around the corner to the lobby’s former emergency exit. The original lobby then became a diner. The largest auditorium is the balcony theatre. Two auditoriums with smaller screens were created in the former orchestra seating.
The Westmont Theatre closed in 2006. In 2008, it was reported that the theatre was sold and the new owners were working on a plan to reopen it for concerts and other events. In 2008, as part of the renovations, the Wellmont Theatre became a single screen again, with the removal of the triplexing. The Wellmont Theatre reopened November 1, 2008, as a concert venue.
Contributed by
Charles Van Bibber
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Recent comments (view all 68 comments)
Wow. Saw my first show here. Usually I biked past it under construction. New marquee. Easy entrance from a side alley abutting the Main Street. The cop car blox that, lot behind and garage down the way. Not a lot of traffic considering.
The interior is very nice. The multiple bands that ring the proscenium stretch far out and are very beautiful. It’s sort of plain downstairs, with 1 Corinthian column on either side of the stage. Nice dim lighting. Bars in the back on both sides. The balcony is nice and those are original seats. There’s multiple rows behind main orchestra, separated by railings and they are removable plush seats which are comfy. The main orchestra on the concrete floor are the same seats and are removable, since it doubles as a banquet spot. The great eye in the ceiling is simple but pretty. Sound is great. Highly recommend seeing a show here. I did spot the different amounts of seating/standing room per fire code, so that will be in the next post. Also, there were at least 8 firemen there as there are every show since one of them said The Wellmont owners don’t have an efficient and effective fire dispersal plan in effect for 1500 attendees.
Reserved Seating: 1916 (Main 800, Stage 92, Balcony 1024)
Standees: 2561 (Main 1445, Stage 92, Balcony 1024)
Banquet: 590 (Main 498, Stage 92, Balcony 0)
Tinseltoes, I usually dont differ with people here on CT, but I work here on occassion as a stagehand. The actual number of fixed seats in the building is probably correct at the top, because only the balcony has fixed seats. The entire orchestra is flat concrete used mostly for standing room. If a show comes in requiring seats, they set up portable chairs.
Tinseltoes, no need to be sorry. You are one of the more knowledgeable people on this site. I enjoy all your postings about things that happened 40, 50, 60 years ago. I only know this from working there. Otherwise, I would have thought the same like you did.
This week in the Montclair Times the Wellmont theater will be placed on sale with a price tag of $6.7 million in the next few weeks…All concern seemed to express the continued need of a theater venue in the town.
i hope someone buys it since the competition is the NJPac in Newark.
As someone who works here on occasion to load in/out shows, I can tell you this place does huge business. But oh what a pain in the a** to load gear in.
Pinnacle cos. bought the theater and will renovate it.
http://www.njbiz.com/article/20150722/NJBIZ01/150729918/montclairs-pinnacle-cos-buys-historic-theater-will-close-it-until-sept-for-renovations
Is there any evidence the Wellmont was ever capable of projecting 70mm prints?