Colonial Theatre
201-209 Bleecker Street,
Utica,
NY
13502
201-209 Bleecker Street,
Utica,
NY
13502
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Shubert Brothers Theater Company, Wilmer & Vincent Corp.
Firms: E.C. Horne & Sons
Previous Names: Sam S. Shubert Theatre
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The Sam S. Shubert Theatre was built on the site of the 1862 Utica Arsenal, which was demolished to build the theatre at the corner of Bleecker Street and Charlotte Street. The Sam S. Shubert Theatre opened on December 16, 1906. In 1908, the Sam S. Shubert Theatre was presenting Keith Vaudeville. By 1917 it was operated by the Wilmer & Vincent chain and renamed Colonial Theatre, and was converted into a movie theatre. In 1920 alterations were carried out to the plans of architectural firm E.C. Horne & Sons. It was operating until around 1943 in use as a burlesque theatre. The Colonial Theatre was demolished in 1945.
Contributed by
Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 3 comments)
An ad in the January 2, 1943, issue of The Billboard lists the Colonial Theatre in Utica as part of the I. Hirst circuit, a chain of 15 burlesque houses. I’ve found a reference to the house operating as the Colonial Theatre as early as 1927, but as the Shubert Theatre it was showing movies at least as early as 1916. I also found an undated reference to the Shubert Theatre being operated for a time by the Wilmer & Vincent vaudeville circuit. Both the Shubert brothers and Wilmer & Vincent began their careers as theater operators in Utica.
The Shubert Theatre is listed at 201-209 Bleeker Street in the 1910 Utica city directory. Norman O. Keim’s Our Movie Houses gives the aka Buckley Theatre for this house in 1914, and lists it as the Colonial from 1917 to 1945. The name Buckley must have been temporary, as I’ve found the Shubert mentioned in 1916, and in 1915, when the August 7 issue of The Moving Picture World said that an organ was being installed in the house.
The April 3, 1920, issue of The American Contractor had this item about alterations being made to the Colonial Theatre:
E. C. Horn & Sons did quite a bit of work for the Wilmer & Vincent circuit during this period.