Colonial Theatre

rivest266 on June 11, 2023 at 12:03 am

Opened as Colonial on May 10th, 1909. Grand opening ad and article posted.

Joe Vogel on September 25, 2014 at 3:00 pm

A Twentieth Century History of Erie County, Pennsylvania, by John Miller, didn’t cover much of the twentieth century, as it was published in 1909, but it was able to note the origin of the Colonial Theatre, which opened that year:

“Early in 1909 A. P. Weschler, a prominent real estate dealer, bought of the Church of Christ the building that for years had been known as the Tabernacle. Although it was built for church purposes, in appearance, both inside and out, it was as unlike the traditional church as possible. The floor was of the amphitheatre form or style; the rostrum or platform was in reality a stage, and it was provided with a gallery. There was therefore but little reconstruction necessary, and before the spring was over the Colonial Theatre had been dedicated as an addition to Erie’s playhouses, to be devoted to the vaudeville line.”

Although it was mentioned in The Moving Picture World at least as early as July 31, 1915, the Colonial sometimes offered two-a-day vaudeville shows for many years. Variety of September 20, 1918, reported:

“The Colonial, Erie, Pa., booked by the United Booking Offices, is the only house now there playing regular vaudeville. The Majestic, last season booked through the Loew Circuit, has taken up another policy.”

There were listings in Variety for vaudeville shows at the Colonial at least as late as 1923.

Barbara Rossman on March 2, 2010 at 9:19 am

Ken MC or Anyone…
My father gave me a beautiful, if somewhat worn, tapestry he said used to hang in the lobby of the Colonial. It is almost as large as a standard room door. If you have any pictures depicting tapestries of women I would be interested in seeing them. Any pictures that may contain all or part of the tapestries would be great in helping me date the item.

Thank you

kencmcintyre on February 27, 2009 at 12:17 pm

Right. I didn’t ask for it to be changed. I pointed out that the theater building was originally a church and was converted to a theater.

kencmcintyre on February 27, 2009 at 11:56 am

It’s not a church now. It was converted to a theater from a church building in 1909.

Barbara Rossman on February 13, 2009 at 12:23 pm

Dear dwhinnie,
My father gave me a beautiful, if somewhat worn, tapestry he said used to hang in the lobby of the Colonial. It is almost as large as a standard room door. If you have any pictures depicting tapestries of women I would be interested in seeing them. Any pictures that may contain all or part of the tapestries would be great in helping me date the item.

thank you.
brossman