Watson JessicaChandler Music Hall, Randolph, Vermont
Chandler Music Hall was built on the site of one of two churches in Randolph and completed in 1907. For the next 25 years, it was an important community center that hosted plays, concerts, silent films, operas, and lectures. In 1927, the combination of the Great Depression and a devastating flood began a period of decline for the space. The launch of the Brigadoon in 1971 triggered a lengthy restoration, and today the music hall is once again a premier performance venue.
Warner Theater, Torrington, Connecticut
The Warner Theater was built by Warner Brothers Studios and opened as a grand Art Deco movie palace in 1931. Fifty years later, the theater was saved from foreclosure thanks to a fundraiser by the Northwest Connecticut Arts Association. It reopened as a performing arts center in 1983. Today, more than 160 performances take place in Warner each year, and educational programs help more than 8,000 Connecticut children engage with the arts.
Bangor Opera House, Bangor, Maine
The Bangor Opera House, now home to the Penebscot Theater Company, was originally a Romanesque-style building designed by architect Arthur H. Vinal. It burned down and was demolished in 1914, but was soon redesigned by architect Edward J. Bohlen in a combination of Art Deco and Art Nouveau styles. In 1966, the building became the Bangor Cinema, which showed movies and hosted performances by the Bangor Symphony Orchestra. The Penebscot Theater Company took over management in 1997 and has overseen major restorations while preserving the historic beauty of the space.
Criterion Theater, Bar Harbor, Maine
The Criterion Theater was founded by George McKay and opened in 1932. It is one of the two remaining Art Deco theaters in Maine, with an impressive and magnificent interior. After falling into disrepair for many years, the theater was saved by generous donations and almost completely restored to its original glory. Currently, The Criterion shows movies and hosts a variety of live performances.
The Palace Theater, Manchester, New Hampshire
Modeled after the New York theater of the same name, Manchester’s Palace Theatre was built by Greek immigrant Victor Charas and opened in 1915. The building was technically air-conditioned, with fans blowing huge blocks of ice under the stage. During the heyday of the theater, the Marx Brothers, Bob Hope, and Jimmy Durante performed here. Mostly a movie theater from the 1930s to the 1960s, the Palace was dark for a while until it was restored and reopened in 1974.
Palace Theater, Waterbury, Connecticut
Opened in 1922, the Palace Theater was designed by architect Thomas Lamb. Its Second Renaissance Revival style combines Roman, Greek and Arabic designs. The palace was originally a movie theater and vaudeville, but it also hosted big band performances, rock concerts, and more until it faded away in 1987. Since it reopened in 2005, the Palace has become an impressive performance complex, hosting Broadway tours and many other programs.
Music Hall, Portsmouth, NH
The Music Hall was built on the site of the Temple, one of Portsmouth’s historic meeting houses, in 1878 with a classic proscenium arch and elegant upper lobby. Although it has been the victim of several fires over the years, the Music Hall has brought vaudeville, opera, dance, and dramatic performances to Portsmouth. Buffalo Bill Cody performed here with his Wild West show, and the Pirates of Penzance graced the stage a few weeks after its premiere. After operating as a movie palace, the space was saved from demolition in 1987 and today functions as a non-profit arts center.