Colonial Theater, Belfast, Maine

Colonial Theater, Belfast, Maine

"Colonial Theater, Belfast, Maine" Belfast, Maine, Colonial Theater "Colonial Theater, High Street, 1911-12, Arthur W. Bowditch of Boston, architect, opened April, 1912, burned and replaced with the present theater with Phoenix Row at the right. Phoenix Row dates from 1824, rebuilt after a fire in 1887." --Earle Shettleworth, 2011 The Colonial opened on the same day that R.M.S. Titanic departed Southampton on its fateful maiden voyage, April 10, 1912. The theaater was designed for movies and had no windows other than those on the windowed front. The auditorium would seat 880. Also featured at that time were two storefronts as well. No movie was shown on opening night but rather a performance by the Belfast Band debuting "The Colonial Waltzes" composed for the occsion by Belfast's R. P. Chase as well as numerous other local acts. Booker T. Washington spoke on his life and work at the Colonial in 1914 and Hoagy Carmichael preside over an evening of song in 1950. In 1922 Dreamland Theater opened nearby. Then, in 1923, a fire, which had begun in the adjacent Eaton Block swept the through the Colonial. There was no loss of life as the fire had spread to the Colonial after it had emptied. A year later The Colonial and Dreamland Theaters merged and reopened at the original Colonial site (as shown). The theater was purchased by the Graphic Theater Circuit of Boston in 1929 and was completely renovated in 1947. Over time live performances dwindled and movies became the dominant entertainment offering.