Colonial Theatre
227 Bridge Street,
Phoenixville,
PA
19460
227 Bridge Street,
Phoenixville,
PA
19460
15 people
favorited this theater
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Blob fest 2010 (28-min doc) on YouTube showing commemoration at the Colonial. The auditorium is well shown both outside and inside.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNCzzHBnPqg
Recent article about renovations.
http://www.pottsmerc.com/business/20170512/phoenixvilles-colonial-theatre-opens-new-wing-2-new-theaters
In what style was the Colonial Theatre built and who was the architect? Also, who operated the theater when it opened? Thanks!
the KIMBALL PIPE ORGAN owned by owners of theSTATE THEATRE sold it to JIM BRENEMAN in 1967, he sam larosa instaulled this piece to the brookline theatre in havertown, when in 1973 was heavenly damaged by a flood was later stored in a garage until being installed at the colonial in 1975 after jim’s death sam larosa purchsed it and later sold it to the CHICAGO HISTORICAL SOCIETY where it remains.
So glad to read all of the nice comments about my favorite local movie house where I’m a member and volunteer. We are starting up tours of the theatre on every first Sunday of the month and we’ve started a Facebook page, Flickr page and Twitter account to keep fans up-to-date on what is going on with the theatre.
http://www.facebook.com/thecolonialtheatre?v=info
http://twitter.com/colonialtheatre
http://www.flickr.com/groups/colonialtheatre
What a real neat find.Great stories.
Last night’s Oscar telecast had a montage of horror films. Included was a scene from the 1958 movie “The Blob” showing moviegoers fleeing the Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville, PA. In recent years, the community nonprofit organization that rescued the Colonial restored its facade to how it looked in 1958. I’m told the partygoers at the Oscar telecast last night at the Colonial were overjoyed to see the footage broadcast worldwide.
I have the old Peerless carbon arc lamps that appeared in The Blob stored in my garage. I made a short video of us picking them up & meeting Ted The Fiddler.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnGGcvQngz0
Anybody know what happened to the 4/32 Kimball previously installed at the Colonial? I have a recording by Clark Wilson of the final concert before the organ’s removal in 1995.
Vintage photo showing a curtain:
http://www.cafepress.com/historictheatre.339345991
Theatre Historical Society of America visits here 7/08/09.
Hi, HowardBaas.
The Somerville Theatre’s big main screen and the Brattle Theatre, in Cambridge, MA, are the only two movie theatres in our area that have balconies. When West Side Story has played in both of these theatres, I’ve made it a point to sit in the balcony, because that’s the coolest part of the movie theatre from which to view a film like that.
The Wang Theatre, in Boston, used to have motion picture mondays, and WSS came there afew times. The balcony was cool there, too.
Nice set of photos:
View link
No, I agree. To each his own, of course.
I don’t get the fascination. It’s an OK sci-fi movie, but I wouldn’t want to see it a dozen times.
Best Programming
When’s the last time you saw a picture show from a balcony? Flawless, finicky projection on a giant screen in a classic but newly and intelligently refurbished theater built in 1903 make the Colonial Theater far and away the preeminent local moviegoing experience. Excellently (if somewhat obviously) programmed, their Classic Sundays repertory screenings offer legendary films as they were meant to be experienced. The theater anchors the burgeoning Phoenixville community by booking first-run features of note and hosting live events on its vaudeville-era stage the rest of the time.
from today’s Philadelphia Weekly article:
View link
The Blob was one of my favorites. I saw the carbon arc lamps that appeared in the film on ebay fo .99.They said that they were going to throw them in the dumpster if nobody bid on them. We made the trip from South Jersey to Phoenixville, Pa. We met Ted, the projectionist. He gave us the grand tour & treated us like royalty. He said that they had to get the back room behind the booth cleaned out because they were turning it into a screening room.
I posted some before & after photos of the famous Peerless Magnarc’s below.
Then:
http://doctorgrooveband.com/blob-orig-arc.JPG
http://doctorgrooveband.com/blob-door-1958.JPG
Now:
http://doctorgrooveband.com/blob-door-2006.JPG
http://doctorgrooveband.com/blob-pt-2006.JPG
http://doctorgrooveband.com/blob-pt-2006-2.JPG
Photos/information on a previous Blobfest:
http://www.williamgirdler.com/blobfest.html
Nice photo album:
http://www.robbender.com/gallery/colonial
Thumbnails at this link, don’t expand without paid subscription:
View link
You can buy a print of the theater at this link:
http://www.georgerothacker.com/ga1.detail.11.html
Saw a movie here in November. Great local support from the community. Cinema Treasures book on sale in the lobby. Thanks to the book for pointing out some great architectural details.
I have to admit this theatre is a Class Act offering. I attended a screening of Paramount Pictures “The Blob” (1958) which utilized the theatre for one of its sequences. Well, that screening and the “Blobfest” events of the day (17 July 2004) were quite an enjoyable experience – a sort of a time warp that took me back 46 years. The theatre is coming along nicely and the staff was top notch. Phoenixville, Bridge Street, The Colonial – will see you again soon for another serving of nostalgia and theatre excellence.