Devon Theater for the Performing Arts
6333 Frankford Avenue,
Philadelphia,
PA
19135
6333 Frankford Avenue,
Philadelphia,
PA
19135
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Located in the Mayfair district of Philadelphia. Designed in late-Streamline Moderne style by the firm of Thalheimer & Weitz, the Devon Theatre opened in 1946 with 878 seats, all on a single floor. A feature of the auditorium were large mural plaques midway on the side-walls over emergency exits, which depict Classical female figures with movie camera and the ‘Oscar’ statue. The plaques were back-lit.
The Devon Theater ran first run movies, then went to second run and this led to screening porn in the 1970’s. It went back to second run films and then briefly screened ‘Classic’ movies, but this venture failed and it was closed in 2000.
After a few years of lying dormant, it was renovated for use as a performing arts center. The Devon Theater for the Peforming Arts opened on March 27, 2009. It was closed in January 2011.
Contributed by
Bryan Krefft
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Recent comments (view all 115 comments)
I guess I will have to open a photobucket account and copy my Irvin Glazer book to the photbucket and start linking away.
Anyone that wants to see hi-res versions of these photos can sign up for a free PAB account and view as many of them as they want.
That takes away the fun of distorting them.
On 9/25/09, I attended a performance of “ Little Shop of Horrors” at the Devon. Ashamedly it was my first time back in the venue since the re-opening and let me say I am very impressed with the work done with the place.
Clean, bright and well kept. The only resembelance to the old days of the theatre were the skid row set on the stage. Heh.
When a friend saw I attended, he lamented missing out and joked about worrying if his feet would stick to the floors. But no, should the situation present itself, I would gladly attend the Devon again. They have alot of great stuff planned for 2009-2010 and beyond. I wish them the best and am happy that the naysayers were proven wrong.
The cutbacks in the arts funding in PA has hit the Devon as they’ve cancelled the remainder of thier season for 2009-2010.
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Never should have put Drexel on the marquee. Bad luck.
The Drexel name had nothing to do with the economy and the State budget cuts.
The Devon Theatre is up for sale/lease again. Signwork up on the marquee and also in slots where the posters are.
Did the Devon (in its current form) close?
I’m confused about the references to putting “Drexel” on the marquee. Was the theater renamed?
It is currently closed Howard and has been so for a while now. I did get to go in for a show ( read my earlier entry)
The theatre remained called the Devon.
Drexel had a sponsorship of the marquee itself, since that needed to be replaced as part of the renovations. There was no renaming or sponsorship of the building itself ( ie has happened with the “ INSERTBANKNAMEHERE” Center in which our local sports teams play)