Union County Arts Center

The Union County will be having a film show January 6th 2011, the first Thursday of the month, at 7:00 PM. Classic films and cartoons of the thirties will be shown from film on our big screen. See http://ucpac.org/images/Image/FilmShortsFlyer.pdf for title information. ADMISSION IS FREE. Come in early and enjoy a walk around our fully restored 1928 vaudeville theater. Cameras welcome before show starts.

Movies will be a part of the upcoming year’s schedules. Program for next film selection will be posted shortly. Watch the website WWW.UCPAC.com or watch this space. Future films from Classics to Independants will be posted in the schedule. Feel free to email suggestions to and they will be reviewed and forwarded. The Art Center always desires to hear patrons requests.
Or come visit and speak to us yourself during 4 Centuries weekend, Oct 16 and 17, 2010.

On October 16 and 17 2010 (Satruday-Sunday) there will be tours of the theater as part of Union County’s 4 Centuries weekend. See the website www.ucpac.org for further details. Get to see behind the scenes, and to experience the history of this beautifully restored classic Vaudeville/Silent Film landmark.

Seems like The Rahway used to have a far more active film schedule just a couple of years ago — and it was 35mm film. They also had the Wurlitzer which was a wonderful addition to the program. I miss this theatre’s film series. This theatre is a real gem. It is perhaps the perfect neighborhood house from the late 1920s. It didn’t need a whole lot of work, and they let most of the old things remain. It feels real and not overly restored. Please bring back the 35mm film series!

Here are two 1982 photos of the Rahway:

Photo1

Photo2

Currently the Center is undergoing a major renovation and expansion of its stage house. It will reopen once renovations are completed in 2008. Check their website (link above) for more details.– new addition on the back

Here is a night view of the Union County Arts Center.

Listed as open in the 1944 FDY. Listed in the 1961 FDY as part of Triangle-Liggett Theatre Service & in the 1970 FDY as part of Triangle Theatre Service Inc.

bigger view:
View link

It was also called ‘The Old Rahway’ in the ‘70s.
Saw 'Therese And Isabelle’‘Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls’ here and others.

I saw THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI here last weekend, and they put on quite a show: newsreel, cartoon, audience singalong, etc. And the theater itself was beautiful. I’ll be going back again for sure.

The Union County Arts Center most of it’s life was called the Rahway Theatre. It was an independant theatre chain until RKO leased the business in 1931. RKO went bust in 1935 and it became an independant once again. From 1928 to 1979, The Rahway played mostly first run and double feature programs. It started out as a silent movie/vaudeville theatre with such acts like the Seven Little Foys on stage. Vaudville stopped once the theatre went to sound, but after RKO took control they revived the 5 act vaudville policy. 1935, the Rahway went all film. The thing that saved the theatre was it’s original Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ. In the 1960’s the organ was restored by members of ATOE (now known as ATOS). The theatre management was so impressed that they allowed the organ to be played for Sunday Matinees. In 1979, when the end was near, it was these same people (now a chapter of ATOS; the Garden State Theatre Organ Society) that gathered together started a non profit called “Rahway Landmarks” and bought the theatre in 1984 and has since restored the theatre in 1990. The theatre is now a fully functional arts center which presents everything from live events to silent films (which started it all). For more info check our website http://www.ucac.org/
Also check out http://www.gstos.org/ for organ info.

Hey UCAC,

Please send me a listing of your upcoming events to:

Odded Benjamin
Village of Stoney Run
APT 22K
Maple Shade, NJ 08052

Thanks.