New Colony Theatre

430 High Street,
Portsmouth, VA 23704

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Levine Theatrical Enterprises

Styles: Streamline Moderne

Previous Names: Colony City Auditorium, Colony Theatre

Nearby Theaters

Colony Theatre...Portsmouth Virginia

The Colony Theatre, located on High Street, in Portsmouth’s Old Towne, was across the street from the Commodore Theatre. It was opened on March 8, 1926 with Corinne Griffith in “Classified”. It was designed in Art Moderne style. After it closed, it housed a nightclub from the late-1980’s into the early-1990’s.

The former theatre was damaged by a storm in 2000 which destroyed its marquee and façade, but the exterior was afterward repaired (although not restored). The building was ‘For Lease’ in May 2019.

Contributed by Bryan

Recent comments (view all 10 comments)

Ret. AKC (NAC) CCC Bob Jensen, Manteno, Illinois
Ret. AKC (NAC) CCC Bob Jensen, Manteno, Illinois on September 6, 2006 at 1:31 am

LEVINE THEATRICAL ENTERPRISES is the chain for this theatre.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on September 9, 2006 at 11:22 pm

This photo is from 1951. The citizens are waiting in line to buy license plates:
http://tinyurl.com/s7asz

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short on December 9, 2007 at 2:13 am

That must have been one hell of a storm.

system01
system01 on December 11, 2007 at 11:53 pm

My mom worked at the Colony in Portsmouth, VA back in the mid ‘50’s as a part-time cashier. She said she remembered a wide, sweeping staircase, thick carpeting, a large chandelier, and a lounge with comfortable chairs & fireplace- I can only imagine!

Don Lewis
Don Lewis on November 1, 2010 at 4:35 am

From the 1950s a photo postcard view of the Colony Theatre along with the Commodore which is directly across the street.

Ret. AKC (NAC) CCC Bob Jensen, Manteno, Illinois
Ret. AKC (NAC) CCC Bob Jensen, Manteno, Illinois on May 4, 2012 at 9:21 pm

CURRENT NAME: NEW COLONY THEATER

PREVIOUS NAME: COLONY THEATER

OPEN

NUMBER OF SEATS: 267

PHONE: 757.625.1212

RELATED WEBSITE (OFFICIAL) www.newcolonytheater.org

norfolk356
norfolk356 on July 31, 2015 at 2:53 am

I was in the Colony a few times when the initial night club occupied the building in the mid to late 1980’s. The stage was intact and during breaks in the entertainment a movie size screen was sometimes lowered. Music videos were sometimes shown. I can recall seeing Point of No Return by Nu Shooz during one break with giant pairs of shoes racing across the screen.

JWhittington
JWhittington on December 31, 2015 at 9:44 pm

I recently found a diary from 1935. Someone who worked there. It list shows and even has a piece of a negative. Very interesting.

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