The Colonnade Theatre

The Colonnade Theatre
Center Street
Millersburg, Pennsylvania

The Colonnade has been on my “to do” list for quite awhile. Though I’ve been to Millersburg several times over the years, I have always missed capturing this vintage beauty (perhaps because it’s located on a mostly residential street and isn’t visible from the main drag). I was lucky to capture these photos while the sun was still shining — just after I was done, the sky turned black and let loose with a 20 minute rain shower.

The building at right is fairly derelict-looking, but the majority of the houses on this block are nice and well looked after. Click here to go to ‘Cinema Tour’ and see the theatre in 1990 (when it was still in operation). The white building has since been removed and is now a parking area. It looks as if Red Dawn was playing that week — I cant’ make out the other poster, can you?

The theatre originally opened in 1919 and closed in 2000. It was donated to the Twin Valley Players theater group in 2008. Thanks to state, county, and private funds, this gem is slated for renovation and re-opening by 2012! (See links below for more information). The group doesn’t plan to do an exact historic renovation; but rather use elements of the old theater alongside new designs to create a cultural arts center & cinema.

I wasn’t able to see the interior; but I understand that The Colonnade has a reverse auditorium (patrons enter from behind the sides of the screen/stage instead of from behind the seating areas). I would have loved to have seen it before the remodeling begins.

I’m not sure what this section of the facade was made of … it felt a bit like bakelite or some sort of early plastic. It’s a shame that this section is damaged.

If you’re in the Millersburg area, don’t miss the town’s historic ferry (which reminds me, I’m sure that I have some pictures to post of the ferry from a few years ago … good times!)