Page 21 - AAA Now! – AAA Akron Auto Club – Spring 2020

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LOCAL MATTERS
Staging the Future of the Akron Civic Theatre
Among facilities of its size, the beautiful and historic Akron Civic Theatre is one
of a handful of remaining atmospheric ‘Grand Theatres’ operating in the country. Now the Civic is “Staging the Future”
with an exciting transformation!
For nearly a century, the Akron Civic Theatre has awed and entertained generations of families.
And, now, transformational changes are coming
to “The Jewel on Main Street.” After three years of planning and coordination with the restoration of downtown Akron’s South Main Street/West Bowery Street block, the Civic is undertaking a once-in-a- generation project that will transform patrons’ experience of the theater. Called Staging the Future, the $8.5 million project will usher in the theater’s next century of great entertainment and community engagement.
When the Akron Civic Theatre first opened its doors on Saturday, April 20, 1929 – then known as Loew’s Theatre – more than 10,000 patrons turned out for a momentous day in local entertainment history. This elaborately designed, state-of-the-art theater was unlike any venue the city had ever seen.
What motivated Marcus Loew to make such a significant investment in Akron in the late 1920s? By 1925, Akron was thought to be the fastest- growing city in America. Loew, owner of the largest theater chain in the nation at the time, visited the city that year to scout out a location for his new enterprise. For the site of his new theater, Loew chose the abandoned Hippodrome Arcade at 182 S. Main St., a structure whose construction began in 1918 and halted a few months later because of
a lack of funding. “The Hipp,” as it was to be called, was envisioned by developer L. Oscar Beck as a concourse with 30 stores, offices, restaurants and an elegant movie theater, all occupying the land along South Main Street, from West Bowery Street to Canal Park. Unfortunately, the project got no further than a high-ceilinged tunnel and became known as “The Gateway to Nowhere.”
Once Loew purchased the property, he hired acclaimed European architect John Eberson, known for designing “atmospheric” theaters with twinkling star-lit ceilings. In June 1928, a crew arrived to raze the Hippodrome and workers began building a $2.3 million theater. Then, Eberson worked his magic, creating a spectacular interior fashioned after a Moorish castle and featuring Mediterranean décor, including medieval carvings, authentic European
antiques and Italian alabaster sculptures along with the theater’s beloved auditorium star-lit sky.
By the late 1950s, however, the theater had fallen into disrepair. In 1965, a “Save the Civic” campaign was organized by the Akron Jaycees Foundation to save the facility. The campaign resulted in the creation of the nonprofit organization, Community Hall Foundation Inc., which still operates the theater. Then, in 2002, the theater closed for 16 months to undertake a $22 million restoration and expansion project, which brought the facility up to modern performance and patron standards. Everything except the Grand Lobby and Entry Arcade were restored. That’s about to change.
Beginning in winter 2020, restoration of the Grand Lobby and Entry Arcade will begin. The results will “wow” patrons when the original beauty and style of 1929 comes shining through. The theater also is building a much-needed new three-window box office accessible from the Entry Arcade.
The Whitelaw building on the theater’s immediate north side along South Main Street is being reconfigured as an intimate new 200+ seat performance space. The Civic’s new venue will
Photo by Val Renner / Akron Civic Theatre
complement the main auditorium stage, increasing the number and types of performances that the organization can host. In addition, the Civic is expanding its footprint outdoors. An outdoor deck along South Main Street will create a welcoming space to chill with friends and family, and a large digital video screen overlooking Lock 3 will give patrons and passers-by access to what’s happening inside. Colorful large-scale murals on the sweeping north- and south-facing exterior walls, along with other works of public art, will transform the neighborhood, forming a focal point and branding the area as one of Akron’s centers of entertainment and culture.
Staging the Future builds on the Civic’s rich history, ensuring that it will thrive for generations to come. The exciting $8.5 million transformation will create a better entertainment experience and more ways for you and your family to enjoy this Jewel on Main Street. The theater has secured more than $7.6 million toward the goal. If you’d like to contribute to the Staging the Future campaign, visit www.AkronCivic.com Together, we can help build
a stronger and more vibrant community and make Akron a better place to live, work and play!
SPRING 2020
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