Somerville Theatre
Somerville, MA Photo courtesy Joyce Kerrigan
The brightly lit facade of the Somerville Theatre brings plenty of neon color to Davis Square. Between the glowing vertical letters, marquee, and old storefront building, this is one theater that still knows how to get attention after dark.
The Somerville opened on May 11, 1914, as part of the Hobbs Building. This was more than just a vaudeville house. The complex also had a basement café, bowling alley, billiards hall, several stores, and the Hobbs Crystal Ballroom upstairs. Half of the original 1914 canopy is now displayed inside the lobby.
The theater later became a neighborhood movie house and remains especially popular with film buffs. Its Philips Norelco projectors can still show genuine 70mm films with six-track magnetic sound. Bruce Springsteen played an acoustic show here in 2003, followed by a surprise U2 appearance in 2009.
UPDATE: The Somerville Theatre remains open for movies, concerts, and its annual 70mm festival. The restored Crystal Ballroom also operates upstairs, while the neon facade continues to light up Davis Square. 08-26
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Kallet Theatre
Oneida, NY Photo courtesy Mike Engle
Check out the colorful facade of the Kallet Theatre along Main Street in Oneida. The blue, cream, and red panels give the old theater plenty of personality, while its rounded corners and horizontal lines make the building look a little like a 1930s ocean liner.
The Kallet opened in 1938 as the centerpiece of Myron Kallet’s Upstate New York theater chain. Designed by Bley & Lyman, the 1,220-seat movie palace featured porcelain enamel panels, glass blocks, chrome trim, and plenty of sleek Streamline Moderne style.
Movies ended here in 1974, and the old auditorium was turned into a roller-skating rink. After that closed, local preservationists stepped in and reopened the building as the Kallet Civic Center in 1983.
UPDATE: The Kallet remains open as a community and private-event center. Its eye-catching facade, marquee, and porcelain panels continue to brighten up Main Street. 08-26
Bank Street Theatre
New Milford, CT Photo courtesy Jay Lin
The polished black-and-white facade of the Bank Street Theatre adds a touch of old Hollywood to downtown New Milford. With its glowing marquee and sleek Deco lines, it is easy to imagine Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing across the screen inside.
The theater opened in 1920 as the Star Theatre, showing the silent film Shore Acres along with a Buster Keaton comedy. Its present Art Deco appearance arrived during a major 1937 remodeling, complete with glossy Carrara glass panels and a new name, the Twentieth Century New Milford Theater.
Bank Street Theatre
New Milford, CT Photo courtesy Jay Lin
Renovations in 1997 uncovered a few surprises, including the original terrazzo lobby floor with its four-pointed Star Theatre emblem and a pressed-tin ceiling hidden above later construction.
UPDATE: The Bank Street Theatre remains open as a four-screen downtown movie house. Its restored Carrara glass facade and illuminated marquee continue to bring a little Deco style to Bank Street. 08-26
Colonial Theatre
Canaan, CT Photo courtesy Jay Lin
The entrance of the Colonial Theatre still looks ready for an afternoon matinee along Railroad Street in Canaan. Instead of the flashy Art Deco style found on many old theaters, this one wears a more formal Colonial Revival facade with brick walls, storefront windows, and a recessed entrance beneath the marquee.
The building opened in 1923 as the Casino, reportedly built by hotel owner Seth Moseley as a gift for his wife. It was quite an entertainment center, with movies on the main floor, bowling lanes in the basement, and a ballroom upstairs. The Colonial name and Art Deco interior arrived after a 1929 remodeling.
The theater went dark in 1997 and passed through several restoration attempts. New owners revived the building in 2023, switched the neon marquee back on, and returned movies and community events to the old auditorium.
UPDATE: The Colonial remains open for movie nights, private gatherings, and ballroom events. The restored property was listed for sale in June 2026 while its owners search for a new steward. 08-26
Colonial Theatre
Norwich, NY Photo courtesy Jay Lin
When the sun goes down, the individual bulbs around the Colonia Theatre marquee begin their dance along South Broad Street. The message board is also putting in a good word for the local farmers with a plea for some much-needed rain. You do not see many theater marquees handling agricultural concerns.
The Colonia opened on December 23, 1914, as an 800-seat theater designed by John Eberson and William McElfatrick. Its large Broadway-style marquee came later, adding some big-city glitter to downtown Norwich. On a winter evening, the whole scene looks a little like Bedford Falls from It’s a Wonderful Life.
The original auditorium was eventually divided into two movie screens, while the old upstairs ballroom found new life hosting weddings and dance classes. When indoor theaters closed during the pandemic, the Colonia even set up a temporary drive-in at the Chenango County Fairgrounds.
UPDATE: The Colonia Theatre remains open for first-run movies, and its flashing marquee continues to light up Broad Street. 08-26
Warner Theatre
Torrington, CT Photo courtesy Jay Lin
Check out the unusual Art Deco facade of the Warner Theatre in downtown Torrington. Instead of the usual balanced theater design, the entrance, storefronts, and towering vertical sign all pull in different directions. The blue and maroon panels, silver trim, and glowing neon give it a bit of golden-age skyscraper style.
Warner Brothers opened the theater on August 19, 1931, with The Star Witness. Designed by Thomas W. Lamb, the 1,700-seat movie palace was promoted as “Connecticut’s Most Beautiful Theatre.” Inside, a gilded sunburst covers the ceiling while peacock designs decorate the walls.
The Warner survived the devastating 1955 flood, which filled its orchestra pit with water. It closed in 1981 and was headed for demolition before local residents purchased the building and reopened it as a performing arts center in 1983.
UPDATE: The Warner remains open for concerts, theater, dance, and community events. A new affiliation with Hartford’s Bushnell Center took effect in July 2026, providing financial support while preserving the Warner name and local programming. 08-26
Paramount Theatre (Gone)
Staten Island, NY Photo courtesy Bob Jagendorf
The Paramount Theatre sits dark and forlorn along Bay Street in Staten Island, its once-grand entrance waiting for something to happen. The weathered Art Deco facade still hints at the crowds that once gathered beneath the marquee, but the matinee days are long gone.
The Paramount opened on October 11, 1930, with about 2,500 seats and an Art Deco and Egyptian Revival interior designed by Rapp & Rapp. Here is an unusual bit of local history. The theater was built on land once occupied by the childhood farmhouse of railroad and shipping magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt.
Movies ended on March 12, 1978, but the stage soon found a much louder purpose. During its early 1980s nightclub era, the old theater hosted the Ramones, Metallica, Talking Heads, Squeeze, the Dead Kennedys, and the B-52s. It later became storage space, and several redevelopment plans came and went.
UPDATE: The Staten Island Paramount remains closed, vacant, and mostly gutted. Its deteriorated marquee has been removed, and no major restoration has moved forward. 08-26
Kallet Theatre
Bank Street Theatre
Bank Street Theatre
Colonial Theatre
Colonial Theatre
Warner Theatre
Paramount Theatre (Gone)
