Circle Arts Theatre

The obituary LouB linked to says that the Circle Arts closed in 1963. This matches up with the claim on this web page, which also supports Eastsidekid’s memory of the former Varsity Theatre having been called the Circle Arts for a while:

“In early 1962 Fred Keller leased the theatre and renamed it the Circle Arts, and, as the new name implied, he specialized in European films. A year or so later he lost the lease and moved to the Varsity Theatre on Bailey and took the Circle Arts name with him.”

We’ve been waiting a long time, but here it is: A photo of the Circle Theatre, from a portfolio of the works of architect G. Morton Wolfe in the August, 1916, issue of the trade journal The Ohio Architect, Engineer and Builder.

The architect appears to have been influenced by the arts and crafts and the prairie styles in designing the front of the Circle Theatre. It gives the building a vaguely Oriental look. It would be interesting to know what the original interior looked like.

But I’m not surprised that there has been some confusion over who actually designed the Circle Theatre. It is not at all characteristic of Wolfe’s work, most of which consisted of very strong, even austere, industrial buildings, and fairly straightforward commercial blocks with restrained detailing. Wolfe did design at least one other theater during this period, though; the first Strand Theatre in Erie, Pennsylvania, which had a splendid, ornate auditorium, though I haven’t found any photos of the front of that house.

A friend of mine worked as usher and snackbar attendant in the earty 60’s here and stated that he eventually became sick from the smell of the rancid butter that he had to continually put on the popcorn!

Yum!!!!

I am searching for photos of this beautiful Circle Arts Theater on Connectiuct Street and any stories or nostolgia you have for any shows. Please contact me at Vilardo

Are you talking about the Capri Art Theater on Bailey Avenue? Click here for that theater listing.

The Capri Art Theater is posted so you could put the Fastcase link on that theater page if you want.

Okay, I’ll add the Capri Art but I’m adding your name too just in case theres a problem with it. No reason for me to take all of the blame :)

I don’t think the Varsity/Circle Arts Theater is listed on CT. Do you want to add it? You have the address at the Fastcase link.

This comes from the Buffalo’s Forgotten Theaters website which is here.

“The Circle Theatre

Just a hop, skip, and a jump from the Mirror is the Circle, at 444 Connecticut Street. This “fireproof” brick structure opened on 25 November 1914, and I have no idea at all who the owner was. Even the technical credits are a bit vague. One report has George M. Wolfe as the architect. Another report has Martin C. Miller as the architect. Architecture-buff Bob Toplin told me that Wolfe was the architect, but that Miller was the interior decorator. Who knows? Seating capacity was variously reported as 694 and 504. Take your pick.

In early 1962 Fred Keller leased the theatre and renamed it the Circle Arts, and, as the new name implied, he specialized in European films. A year or so later he lost the lease and moved to the Varsity Theatre on Bailey and took the Circle Arts name with him.

Afterwards the Circle was used as the Arab-American Federation of Western New York. (The entire interior has been modernized. – Ed.)

Address: 444 Connecticut Street
Architect: George M. Wolfe? Martin C. Miller?“.

There were two Circle Arts Theaters. The one listed here closed in 1962 and the second Circle Arts Theater was opened in the Varsity Theater on Bailey Avenue which is the theater in your Fastcase link. The description should be changed to “This theater closed in 1962”.

The Fastcase document first calls the theater, the Capri Art Theatre and later it calls it the Circle Arts Theatre. Are they talking about two different theaters or did this theater have another name?

UPDATE

I asked my mother some days earlier. It turns out that my father ( John Raymond, who didn’t go by Avenia because know one could remember it ) was doing a play with Howard Keel called “Kiss Me Kate“, I think that my father was the goofball with the pots and pans making all the racket doing odd things like falling into the band, Keel would just stand there with his arms crossed and wait for my father to get done. Every night it was a different act according to my mother. I have a photo here someplace according to my mom, I’ve got to find it…

Please, if you all find out anything about this like more photos or flyers I would be most interested.

Renato

I was digging through my mothers stuff when I came across a pile of old papers, there were 19 flyers for the “Circle Arts Theatre” May 22nd thru September 23, 18 weeks of hit musicals, mixed in with it all. I found that my parents were featured in the pictures on the back of it, I don’t believe that they have even met yet, finding this to be very interesting, I looked this up here. My mother is still alive and living in my home town but is now asleep and I could not wait so I am writing this now. I will ask her in the morning about this, in the meantime, I would like to find out more information about this theater.

Renato Avenia

I don’t know if the building is being used for anything today, but you can see a recent photo of the Circle Arts Theatre here:
http://ah.bfn.org/h/movie/sandhu/source/20.html