Park Theatre

848 Park Avenue,
Cranston, RI 02910

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Park Theatre (Official)

Additional Info

Previously operated by: Associated Theatres

Architects: William Russell Walker II

Firms: William Russell Walker & Son

Previous Names: New Park Theatre, Park Cinema

Phone Numbers: Box Office: 800.657.8774

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News About This Theater

2005 renovation

Located in the Auburn district. The New Park Theatre was opened on November 17, 1924 with Norma Talmadge in “Secrets”. It was closed in 1964.

It reopened on April 8, 1966 as the Park Cinema. The former Park Cinema in Cranston became a triplex that closed in February 2001. In 2004 it was being renovated and the triplexing was being undone, to be one theatre auditorium again. The plan was to have a live dinner-theatre with a cafe. The Park Theatre was expected to open in Summer 2004, but that didn’t happen until the Fall of 2009 when it presented live performances. It became an events center & banquet hall which closed in August 2023. Plans are to reopen in summer of 2024 operated by Spectacle Live as a live music and live performance venue.

Contributed by Roger Katz

Recent comments (view all 66 comments)

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on January 25, 2023 at 7:06 pm

Official link at the top does not load. Below is the correct link. (The Cowsills and Steve Smith and the Nakeds will perform February 11)

https://theparkri.com/

mp775
mp775 on September 19, 2023 at 4:28 pm

The Park Theatre may be in danger again. The owners are behind $35,000 in taxes. The mayor just floated the idea of buying the theatre to use as a community center; he was shot down by the City Council and has reversed course. The theatre’s website shows the next four shows as postponed, but there are two more later in October that are not. https://www.wpri.com/news/local-news/west-bay/cranston-mayor-reverses-course-on-plan-to-buy-park-theatre/

mp775
mp775 on October 1, 2023 at 5:23 pm

It’s for sale again. https://turnto10.com/news/local/historic-park-theater-cranston-rhode-island-listed-for-sale-performing-arts-center-september-30-2023

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on October 1, 2023 at 11:56 pm

This page needs to be updated with the information provided in Gerald DeLuca’s comment of June 25, 2005: The Park Theatre opened on November 17, 1924, and plans for the building were prepared by William R. Walker & Son. (William Russell Walker died in 1905 and his son William Howard Walker in 1922, so the architect for the Park Theatre of 1924 would have been the founder’s grandson, William Russell Walker II.)

Gerald A. DeLuca
Gerald A. DeLuca on October 2, 2023 at 9:02 am

NOW UP FOR SALE! https://turnto10.com/news/local/historic-park-theater-cranston-rhode-island-listed-for-sale-performing-arts-center-september-30-2023?fbclid=IwAR0zNI1hE3Mx_kfqD48OT7g66c0kCmmSRYNUJoApa64zYASeFjYL9zDGqB4#

mp775
mp775 on February 2, 2024 at 5:15 am

Looks like the Park is closed again. Shows have been canceled without notice going back to August 2023 and are not being rescheduled. Plans for the City of Cranston to buy the theater and turn it into a community center fell through, and owners will not say if the theater is permanently closed. https://www.wpri.com/target-12/12-responds-owner-says-park-theatre-will-pay-back-ticketholders/

mp775
mp775 on May 9, 2024 at 3:23 am

And it will reopen, under the management of Spectacle Live - https://whatsupnewp.com/2024/05/spectacle-live-to-manage-and-operate-cranstons-historic-park-theatre-event-center

rivest266
rivest266 on June 6, 2024 at 7:55 am

Grand opening ad posted.

rivest266
rivest266 on June 7, 2024 at 3:53 pm

Closed in 1964 and reopened as Park Cinema on April 8th, 1966. Another ad posted.

mp775
mp775 on July 9, 2024 at 8:32 am

The new website is active - https://www.theparkri.com/

Interview with the new manager, Sara Shevlin - https://whatsupnewp.com/2024/07/cranstons-park-theatre-re-opening-soon-we-speak-to-new-manager-sara-shevlin

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