Park Theatre
848 Park Avenue,
Cranston,
RI
02910
848 Park Avenue,
Cranston,
RI
02910
4 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 65 comments
Closed in 1964 and reopened as Park Cinema on April 8th, 1966. Another ad posted.
Grand opening ad posted.
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
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/
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#
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.)
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
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/
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/
Thanks for this!
Great article in today’s Providence Journal about the theatre’s reopening under new ownership - https://www.providencejournal.com/story/entertainment/theater/2022/11/18/how-cranston-rhode-island-park-theatre-bounced-back-to-stage-its-latest-revival/69611998007/
Closed again (hopefully only temporarily) due to roof and equipment damage from Monday’s massive rain storm. https://www.wpri.com/news/local-news/west-bay/taking-it-day-by-day-cranstons-historic-park-theatre-shutters-after-roof-leak/
The Park Theatre and Events Center has re-opened after being shuttered during the Covid 19 pandemic. https://turnto10.com/news/entertainment/cranston-rhode-island-park-theatre-event-center-reopening-rolfe-square-dig-in-dining-entertainment-restaurant-group
Auction tomorrow - http://www.auctionsri.com/scripts/qryfeature-details.asp?pkv=43055
I think the current owner did a great service by keeping the facade in place. Took great care to preserve the look.
There may finally be a buyer - https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2021/09/21/former-cranston-councilman-says-he-has-deal-buy-park-theatre/5801276001/
The auction was postponed, and the City of Cranston is helping find a buyer, with the condition that it remain a performing arts venue. https://turnto10.com/news/local/park-theatre-in-cranston-auction-postponed-for-now
The building is being auctioned tomorrow - https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2021/04/28/park-theatre-cranston-auctioned-thursday/4872394001/
I worked here as an usher from July1987 to May1990. Great memories! I was friends with the projectionist who taught me a lot about film history. He owned a 35mm print of the James Bond film “On her majesty’s secret service” We watched it late one weekend after the last show ended. He also had a reel of trailers spliced together. I still have a giant 70mm reel I found in a storage room as well as several posters.
My Rocky Horror records show the closing date before renovations as Feb, 2001 rather than the 2002 posted above. We were doing the show there for a year. One night, in Feb, 2001, we were told it was suddenly closing and we had to evacuate our props right after the show.
It’s nice but the live performances are a bit more than I am willing to pay.The average price is $35 a seat. It would be nice if they showed movies again.
http://www.thesunchronicle.com/articles/2012/03/29/go/11246716.txt
An interesting article with several photos concerning the Park Theatre.
In September 1926, this theatre was part of the eleven-theatre Celebrate Paramount Week.
Newspaper ad.
Their new webpage at: http://www.parktheatreri.com/ has a nice photo gallery of interior and exterior shots. The auditorium is all modern in style, but the layout is fairly traditional. And the priscenium arch is a nice classical touch, all varnished wood in a simple but traditional style.
From Boxoffice magazine, February 4, 1956:
“In the most extensive cooperation promotion ever seen in this area, 14 Providence and nearby houses used record-breaking newspaper advertising space in heralding the joint premiere of "The Day the World Ended” and “Phantom from 10,000 Leagues.” Virtually taking over the amusement pages of the local press for several days, the following houses united in the ad: Elmwood, Hope, Uptown, Liberty, Castle, all in this city; Community, Centredale; Strand, Pawtucket; Union, Attleboro; Hollywood, East Providence; Palace, Cranston; Community, Wakefield; Park, Auburn; Palace, Arctic and Stadium, Woonsocket. A brief checkup of local houses indicated that opening days were solid."