I’m from the area and can tell you a little bit more.
The address for the Empire Theater on the page is incorrect. The location was actually 137 Main Street, Lewiston, ME. It was demolished in 2005, but if you go to Google Street view on the actual address, you can see a parking lot where it once stood, surrounded by other buildings, which outlined the former theater.
This article appeared in the local newspaper on 1/24/12 about the area theaters that are long gone. http://www.sunjournal.com/news/city/2012/01/24/l-theaters-old-were-grand-halls/1144923
Excerpt:
“The Empire Theatre was built on Main Street, Lewiston, near the canal in 1903. Staples remembers the spectacular opening night when “patrons attended in full evening dress, bejeweled and resplendent.” The opening night’s play was “The Yankee Consul” with Raymond Hitchcock, a reigning Broadway star who brought his own orchestra.
Another news story from the year the Empire Theatre was built described its ornate style.
“The theatre has a seating capacity of about fifteen hundred,” the article said. “There are 592 seats on the ground floor, 367 in the balcony and 500 in the family circle.” Also described are the eight box seats with seating for 44 people.
“The carpets are red except in the ladies’ room, which is handsomely carpeted in green and has furnishings to harmonize,” the news story reported.
“The stage is large and well arranged, there are 12 dressing rooms at the right of the stage, all of which are supplied with the most modern conveniences, including electric lights and running water.”
It was not many years ago that the Empire Theatre closed, and many area residents will recall the structure much as it was described in 1903. It was demolished just a few years ago."
I’m from the area and can tell you a little bit more.
The address for the Empire Theater on the page is incorrect. The location was actually 137 Main Street, Lewiston, ME. It was demolished in 2005, but if you go to Google Street view on the actual address, you can see a parking lot where it once stood, surrounded by other buildings, which outlined the former theater.
This article appeared in the local newspaper on 1/24/12 about the area theaters that are long gone. http://www.sunjournal.com/news/city/2012/01/24/l-theaters-old-were-grand-halls/1144923
Excerpt: “The Empire Theatre was built on Main Street, Lewiston, near the canal in 1903. Staples remembers the spectacular opening night when “patrons attended in full evening dress, bejeweled and resplendent.” The opening night’s play was “The Yankee Consul” with Raymond Hitchcock, a reigning Broadway star who brought his own orchestra.
Another news story from the year the Empire Theatre was built described its ornate style.
“The theatre has a seating capacity of about fifteen hundred,” the article said. “There are 592 seats on the ground floor, 367 in the balcony and 500 in the family circle.” Also described are the eight box seats with seating for 44 people.
“The carpets are red except in the ladies’ room, which is handsomely carpeted in green and has furnishings to harmonize,” the news story reported.
“The stage is large and well arranged, there are 12 dressing rooms at the right of the stage, all of which are supplied with the most modern conveniences, including electric lights and running water.”
It was not many years ago that the Empire Theatre closed, and many area residents will recall the structure much as it was described in 1903. It was demolished just a few years ago."