Cricket Theater
114 W. Main Street,
Collinsville,
AL
35961
114 W. Main Street,
Collinsville,
AL
35961
1 person
favorited this theater
Sadly, the Cricket Theater is now closed and gutted. It opened in 1946 and replaced an earlier 140 seat Cricket Theater which had a different location on Main Street. The theater’s tower clock was originally part of an old courthouse in DeKalb, Alabama.
Contributed by
Ross Melnick
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater
Recent comments (view all 17 comments)
This is a 2007 photo of the Cricket Theater building taken by Shani. The clock has been removed.
Here is an updated link for the 2007 photo.
why the name ‘cricket theater’? could someone explain please…
This is a 2008 close-up view.
Address:
113 W. Main St.
Collinsville, AL. 35961
I hit the wrong key, it should have been 114 W. Main St.
Need to update the header with the address
114 W. Main St.
Boxoffice of May 22, 1948, ran this item datelined Collinsville: “Millard G. Weaver, owner of the Cricket and the Sandy theatres here, has announced his candidacy for mayor. Weaver opened his first theatre in Collinsville in 1924 and three years ago replaced it with a modern house.”
Boxoffice of January 29, 1968, referred to the Cricket as “long closed” when it was mentioned in an article about houses that had been reopened the previous year. The Cricket was in operation at least as late as 1977, when it was mentioned in the April 4 issue of Boxoffice.
The Cricket actually operated intermittently well into the 1970s. Boxoffice of January 29, 1968, listed the Cricket as one of several dark theatres in the region that had been reopened the previous year. But the very next issue of Boxoffice, February 5, said: “Gay Johnson, it has been reported, has closed his Cricket Theatre in Collinsville, Ala.”
The Cricket shows up again in Boxoffice of December 8, 1975, which reported that Jim Tripp, operator fo the DeKalb Theatre at Fort Payne, had reopened the Collinsville house. Tripp operated the Cricket at least until spring of 1977, when the April 4 issue of Boxoffice mentioned it again. I haven’t found it mentioned any later than that.
The Historic Cricket Theatre in Collinsville, Alabama was recently purchased by The Collinsville Historic Association. A major restoration process is now underway to preserve and restore this beloved timepiece. The Annual Collinsville Quilt Walk Sept 24 & 25, 2010 will feature a tour of the progress. The Annual Collinsville Turkey Trot Nov 13, 2010 will be a major event this year with the proceeds going to help fund the restoration of The Cricket Theatre. The New Library in Collinsville was the first restoration project for the town beginning in 2002, completed and opened in 2009. Updates can be viewed on Collinsville Alabama Net. All donations for The Historic Collinsville Cricket Theatre can be accepted by The Collinsville Historic Association, PO Box 849, Collinsville, AL 35961
Good luck to them.