Poli's Theater

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 View link

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 View link )

“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.

The building that still stands is the lobby building. The theatre portion is long gone.

This paragraph about Poli’s Theatre appeared in the biographical sketch of its manager, Walter Griffith, in a history of Waterbury published in 1918:

“It was opened December 15, 1897, at No. 141 East Main street and has a seating capacity of sixteen hundred. The stage is one of the largest in Connecticut and the house was one of the first to put in the best pictures. The theater was opened as the home of legitimate drama but during the past six years vaudeville and stock companies have occupied the boards in the summer. The Poli circuit numbers twenty-four theaters, with three offices in New York, and Mr. Alonzo is the exclusive booking agent of New York.”