Boulton Center for the Performing Arts

37 W. Main Street,
Bay Shore, NY 11706

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Boulton Center for the Performing Arts (Official)

Additional Info

Previously operated by: Associated Prudential Theaters Inc., United Artists Theater Circuit Inc.

Architects: John Adolph Emil Eberson

Functions: Live Music Venue, Live Performances, Movies (Classic), Performing Arts

Styles: Art Deco

Previous Names: Regent Theatre, Hollyrock Theatre

Phone Numbers: Box Office: 631.969.1101

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The Regent Theatre was opened in 1903. It was first modernized in 1934 by John Eberson when the seating capacity was given as 678. In the 1940’s it was operated by the Prudential Theatres chain.

The theatre has now been renovated again, and has 290 stadium seats. Certainly not originally as spectacular as the Bay Shore Theatre (Ward & Glynne’s) vaudeville house. The Bay Shore Theatre was closed already in the 1980’s. The Regent Theatre puttered on into the 1990’s as a porn house.

The new Boulton Center marquee was quite attractive. It was blown down in a storm on September 24, 2022. The theatre remained closed until February 2024 following extensive renovations when it reopened as a performing arts center.

Contributed by Bway Chris

Recent comments (view all 44 comments)

alyxzandra
alyxzandra on August 30, 2016 at 12:56 am

I want to add I now live in Europe and have not been back to Long Island for 28 years. I am sure things have changed a lot; especially Main Street, Bay Shore.

robboehm
robboehm on August 30, 2016 at 3:00 am

alyxzandra have you contributed info on your current theaters to CT?

alyxzandra
alyxzandra on August 30, 2016 at 12:24 pm

No. I am not sure what I can contribute.

robboehm
robboehm on August 30, 2016 at 6:37 pm

Are theaters where you are listed on CT? If not, they’re easy to establish. If you’ve been to one or more, look them up on CT and make comments which would be informational.

paul baar
paul baar on May 31, 2017 at 1:19 pm

The first movie I saw there was in the early"60’s"a matinee"Little Red Ridinghood and the Monsters"imported from Mexico and dubbed into English by K.Gordon Murry,Elvis Presley’s “Paradise Hawiian style”,“The Sound of Music”,“Deranged”,“Mark of the Devil”(with barf bags)and a French movie"Going Places"with Garrard Depardeau. The theater was okay, not as grand as the other Bayshore on main street.

robboehm
robboehm on April 10, 2019 at 2:22 am

In the 1980’s the then Regent showed X rated films and shared ads in Newsday with the Ronkonkoma and Rocky Point Art Cinemas.

robboehm
robboehm on October 25, 2020 at 7:58 pm

Uploaded a photo of an ad which appeared in the September 5, 1920 Paramount Week indicating that the, then Regent, would be participating in a special exhibiting event.

robboehm
robboehm on September 26, 2022 at 1:28 am

The marquee suffered damage during a wind storm yesterday. Portions fell to the ground but no one was injured. The age of the structure was also a factor. The fire marshals will inspect the building to see if it is sound. The Boulton has been closed since the beginning of the pandemic. Will this be the end for the venue?

robboehm
robboehm on March 12, 2023 at 2:32 am

The Boulton is still closed although the telephone is still operational.

robboehm
robboehm on February 24, 2024 at 5:12 pm

The theatre was bought by the Boulton family, renovated it, replaced the marquee and is now an intimate space for live theatre events.

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