TCC Roper Performing Arts Center

Opened May 10th, 1926. Ad below:

Loews State opening 09 May 1926, Sun Virginian-Pilot and the Norfolk Landmark (Norfolk, Virginia) Newspapers.com

A summary of the organ’s history can be found at http://theatreorgans.com/AU/opus/OP12/OP1256.htm. As of September, 2015 the 3-rank console now resides in Auckland, NZ (http://theatreorgans.com/wota/). The console can be seen in the photos associated with this theater, both in the lower-left hand corner of the historic shot of the stage, and obviously in the photograph provided by the Auckland Wurlitzer Organ Trust.

My father remembers Lowe’s having an organ(circa 1930’s). He walked to the theater from East Ghent.

The Roper Center’s official web page is: http://www.tcc.edu/roper/ From there is some history, renovation info and color photos, both interior. Looks like a simplified renaissance revival scheme, but also possibly simplified by the renovation. The auditorium is fairly wide with a low ceiling – looks like it originally had no balcony and that they reduced the capacity by building a shelf balcony in the middle of the auditorium with all the space behind it converted into separate rooms. Still looks really nice though and very attractive. The page says it was built in 1926.

Growing up in Norfolk VA there were two large theatres still open downtown, The Lowes and The Granby. The theatre was known only as The Lowes, The name State was not used in the late 50s. The marquee in the picture reads “HG Wells The Time Machine”, I saw the Time Machine at The Lowes with a neighborhood birthday party. I remember the theatre had stained glass exit signs over the fire exits and each exit was numbered on the stained glass sign. Also the balcony was really more of a mezzanine as that it was not over the orchestra seats. Everything about it was big when I was a kid.

The former Loews State Theater in Norfolk, Virginia, now owned by Tidewater Community College, has been renamed the Jeanne and George Roper Performing Arts Center. The renovated facility has been open for just over a year and has held a wide range of performances, including local theater and dance companies, performances by the Virginia Symphony, various jazz artists, internationally known classical artists, plus the sole U.S. appearance by the Royal Shakespeake Company. On November 1, 2001 the first film was shown in the theater since 1978. “Restless”, the first joint U.S. & China co-production, written and directed by Jule Gilfillian, was shown in 35mm on a brand new screen to an enthusiastic audience.