This is a list of theaters in Omaha, Nebraska. The entries include theaters used to present films and professional live performances, including vaudeville acts, plays and musical performances.
Introduction
Live performance theaters
In 1860, the dining room of the Herndon House hosted for the first dramatic performance in Omaha, using a borrowed bolt of muslin for a curtain.[1] Julia Dean Hayne, a leading actress of the time, played the title role.[1] These were the humble beginnings of Omaha's performing arts scene. Today the city is home to the Omaha Community Playhouse, a nationally recognized community theater; the Holland Performing Arts Center; the beloved Orpheum Theater; and a host of other smaller performing arts venues.
Moving picture theaters
With more than 100 theaters since it was incorporated, Omaha's movie scene has never been static.[2] Many of the early movie film theaters in Omaha were neighborhood theaters, small store-front establishments seating about 300 people on plain plywood seats.[3] Most of the patrons of these early theaters walked to them or took street cars, so parking was not an issue.[3] Larger theaters were congregated in Downtown Omaha, mainly along Douglas Street between Fourteenth and Sixteenth Streets, on what was called Theater Row. As personal automobile ownership increased, suburban theaters were built, and several drive-in theaters opened on what was then the outskirts of the city. Today, theater complexes with luxury seating, in-auditorium dining and bar service are prevalent. Omaha's last drive-in theater closed in 1987.[4]
Opened in 2003 as Qwest Center Omaha. The original seating was 17,000. An addition in 2006 increased the facility to its current capacity. In 2011 it was renamed CenturyLink Center Omaha. CHI Health bought the naming rights in 2018.
The original Creighton Theater was located at 408 South 15th Street, and seated 2200.[14] It was demolished and the current theater was built on the site, with the entrance reoriented towards 16th Street.[13] The second theater closed as a movie theater in 1971.[13] After a major renovation, it was opened as a performing arts center in 1974.[13] The building has continued to receive periodic renovations over the years and remains one of the top performance stages in Omaha.
Originally built for vaudeville and stage performances, it was converted to a movie theater in the 1930s. The theater closed in 2013, then was taken over by Film Streams and reopened in 2017 after extensive remodeling.[17]
The theater is inside the museum off the Storz Fountain Court. The theater was later named the Witherspoon Concert Hall, after donor D. J. (Jim) Witherspoon.
This was opened in 1996 by the Douglas Theatre Company as a 20-screen complex called the 20 Grand.[22] In 2013 it was remodeled, reduced to 19 screens, and renamed the Marcus Majestic Cinema.[22]
This opened in 1926 as the Riviera Theater.[24] In 1929, it was sold to the Paramount Company and renamed the Paramount Theater.[24] It closed in 1957, changing hands several times before it reopened as the Astro Theater, eventually closing as a movie theater in June 1980.[24] It was purchased by Rose Blumkin of Nebraska Furniture Mart fame.[24] After sitting vacant for a number of years, it was restored and reopened as the Rose Blumkin Performing Arts Center.[24]
A two screen theater, with one theater accommodating 96 patrons and the second accommodating 206 patrons.[26] The theater primarily shows independent, documentary, foreign and classic films.[26] The nonprofit arts organization, Film Streams, manages the theater.[26]
Originally built as a single-screen theater, a second screen was added later.[31] It was known locally for its midnight showings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The building has been demolished and the site redeveloped.
The building was the site of numerous concerts and performance events through the Knights of Aksarben organization.[32] The coliseum was torn down in 2005 and the site redeveloped.[32]
It was later called the New Morris Theater and the Strand Theater.[36] The building was destroyed by fire in the 1920s.[36] The first color movie shown in Omaha, The Black Pirate starring Douglas Fairbanks, ran at the Strand.[37]
Due to readdressing, the current address is 6054 Maple Street. Originally built as a vaudeville theater, it was called the Benalto Theater from 1923 to 1926.[42] It was later renamed the Benson Theater for the neighborhood it is located within. The theater is currently closed and is in need of a total renovation.[42] A nonprofit organization has been formed to spearhead the fundraising effort.[42]
The first Boyd Theater in Omaha, built by businessman and politician James F. Boyd.[45] It was later renamed as the Farnam Street Theatre.[45] Although labeled as fireproof it was destroyed by fire on October 2, 1893.[45]
In 1925, theater-goers wept as Helen Keller and her teacher described their struggle to overcome Keller's blindness, deafness and muteness.[48] The theater had a ceiling mural in the foyer, "The Triumphal Entry of Art" by E. T. Behr, which cost $2,500.[2] The Brandeis Theater was razed in 1959 to make way for a parking garage.[47]
This became the Gayety Theatre in 1909.[51] It had a stock company of players, including Fred Astaire.[52] It later became a burlesque theater.[52] In 1931 the building was remodeled to house retail stores and offices.[50] The building was torn down in 1961.[52]
When the theater opened, it offered such innovations as a smoking room, a crying room for children and parents, and a wheel chair area.[56] It was also the first theater in Omaha to have a reverse pitch floor, whereby the floor slopes to the stage to a low-point then rises toward the stage.[56] From 1974 to 1993 the building was home to the Emmy Gifford Children's Theater.[55] The building was expanded and updated during their residency.[55] In 1993 the children's theater company moved to the former Riviera Theater.[55] The building currently houses an estate and consignment sales company.[55]
The first movie shown was The Bible.[28] Expanded to two screens in 1969; four in 1976; six in 1981; eight in 1984.[28] Renovated for stadium seating in 1997.[28] Sold to commercial developers in September 2008.[28] Closed on January 15, 2009.[28] The last movie shown was Marley & Me.[28] The building was converted into an indoor shooting range in 2015.[59]
The theater featured such innovations as an elevator to its two balconies and a two-story basement café/restaurant that later became a popular dance spot, known as the Rustic Gardens.[2] The theater was torn down in 1929 to make way for an office building.[65]
The Favorite was a silent movie theater built by Fritz Mueller. With the advent of talking movies, Mueller built the Mueller Theatre just a few doors to the east of the Favorite. The Favorite eventually closed and was used for various commercial activities over the years. Today it is the main dining area of a restaurant, complete with exposed brick walls and iron columns. The tiled entry vestibule with the name "Favorite" spelled out in cobalt blue tile is still visible.
This theater started as a large single screen and was twinned in 1976.[66] It later merged with the Six West Theaters and was renamed Westroads 8. The theater has been demolished and replaced with retail space.[66]
At its opening in December 1962, its 105-foot screen, the largest in the United States, was designed specifically designed for Cinerama.[74] The theater was expanded from a single screen, to two and finally to four screens.[74] The theater was closed in October 2000.[74] After a large public effort to save it failed, the building was demolished in 2001.[74]
The theater's original name, "The Magic Theater", was a nod to South Omaha's nickname, "The Magic City", for the area's seemingly overnight growth. The theater's name was later changed to the Tivoli Theater. The Tivoli theater ultimately closed in the 1950s.[79]
The building was designed by George Fisher of the firm of Mendelssohn, Fisher and Lawrie.[88] The theater closed in the mid-1950s.[88] The building is used today as a social services center.[88]
This was later called the Town Theater and the Cooper Theater or Cooper 70. It briefly housed the Cinerama technology before it was moved to the Indian Hills Theater. It was razed in 1976.
The name of the theater was originally the Mueller Theatre. After its remodeling in 1938, its name was changed to the Muller Theatre. The building was totally destroyed by a series of three fires on June 1, July 14 and August 2 in 1970.[90] At the time of the fire, the building was being used as a bingo parlor.[90]
Originally built as a vaudeville theater, it became an adult theater in the 1970s.[91] The theater closed in the 1980s after several police raids to seize pornographic material. It has been demolished.[91]
Attached to the Omaha Civic Auditorium, it was renovated in 1997,[12] then suffered the same fate as the auditorium: closed in 2014, torn down in 2016.
This was later named the Q Cinema 6 in 1982 and finally the Q Cinema 9 in 1989.[28] The theater closed in 2008[28] and the building was eventually demolished.
The theater closed on August 2, 1929, and was used for various commercial activities until it was razed in February 1986.[102] Today it is the site of the Union Pacific Headquarters.[102]
This theater was the first six screen theater opened in the United States.[106] It later merged with the Fox In Westroads Theater and was renamed the Westroads 8. Located in the Westroads Mall, the theater closed in 1999 and was converted to retail space.[106]
The theater was later called the State Theater.[107] The lights in the red and ivory lobby were shaped like sunbursts.[107] The theater closed in 1969 and the building was demolished in 1976.[107]
A circular stage was surrounded by tables for patrons.[111] Located in the basement of the Westroads Mall, the theater closed on February 22, 1978.[110]
In February 1935 the theater's name was changed to the Omaha Theater.[113] The theater ceased operations on February 26, 1978.[113] When plans for its restoration failed, the theater was razed in 1980 and a parking garage erected on the site.[113]
It was closed on July 17, 1983, and was demolished.[114] A strip mall now stands on the site.[114] At the time it closed, it was noted as being Omaha's oldest drive-in theater.[115]
The first feature shown at this theater was Show Boat, starring Kathryn Grayson, Ava Gardner and Howard Keel. This theater closed in 1985, was demolished, and a shopping center was built in its place.[117]
Had a dual screen,[118] and a sports car section.[4] Its closure, in 1987, marked the end of drive-in theaters in Omaha.[4] In 1988 the land was redeveloped for upscale homes.[4]
^ abKoffend, John (May 23, 1954). "Herndon Dining Room Site of First Omaha Stage Production in 1860". The Omaha World-Herald Newspaper, Omaha, Douglas County, NE, USA. p. 152.
^ abc"Now Showing: Glory Day of Movie Theaters". The Omaha World-Herald Newspaper, Omaha, Douglas County, NE, USA. February 3, 1989.
^ abc"Brothers Recall Old Movie Days". The Omaha World-Herald Newspaper, Omaha, Douglas County, NE, USA. March 2, 1976. p. 2.
^ abcdStansberry, Rhonda (December 6, 1987). "Drive - In Theater Now Showing: 'Memories'". The Omaha World-Herald Newspaper, Omaha, Douglas County, NE, USA.
^ abcdefghijklmnopq"Big shows now frequent at area's major venues - Omaha -area indoor entertainment venues". The Omaha World-Herald Newspaper, Omaha, Douglas County, NE, USA. February 2, 2014.
^ abcdefJeffrey S. Spencer [researcher & writer], Kristine Gerber [project director] (2003). Building for the ages : Omaha's architectural landmarks (1st ed.). Omaha, Neb.: Omaha Books. p. 168. ISBN0-9745410-1-X.
^ abcdefghijklmnopqrFischbach, Bob (January 16, 2009). "Bowing out - Screens go dark after four decades - Time overtakes a central Omaha movie venue - Cinema Center history - Douglas Theatre Co., a brief history". Omaha World-Herald.
^ abcd"Theater's Light Show Wows First Visitors". Omaha World-Herald. December 29, 1989.
^ abcdefghijk"Omaha History Told By Theaters Past and Present". The Daily Bee News Newspaper, Omaha, Douglas County, NE, USA. February 13, 1910.
^"First Color (Movie)". The Omaha World-Herald Newspaper, Omaha, Douglas County, NE, USA. December 20, 1978. p. 2.
^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyPolk's Omaha City Directory, 1935. 431 Howard Street, Detroit, MI, USA: R. L. Polk & Co., Publishers. 1935. p. 1259.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
^ abcd"Free Coupon". The Omaha Bee News Newspaper, Omaha, Douglas County, NE, USA. March 22, 1915.
^"Another Movie House". The Omaha World-Herald Newspaper, Omaha, Douglas County, NE, USA. October 23, 1915. p. 25.
^ abcdefSpencer, Jeffrey; Spencer, captions by Jeffrey (2007). Historic photos of Omaha. Nashville, Tenn.: Turner Pub. Co. p. 19. ISBN978-1-59652-394-4.
^ abJeffrey S. Spencer [researcher and writer], Kristine Gerber [project director] (2003). Building for the ages : Omaha's architectural landmarks (1st ed.). Omaha, Neb.: Omaha Books. p. 20. ISBN0-9745410-1-X.
^ ab"Question Mark, Many Stars Trod Brandeis Stage". The Omaha World-Herald Newspaper, Omaha, Douglas County, NE, USA. September 30, 1967. p. 14.
^"Today in History, Fifty Years Ago, 1925, Helen Keller at Brandeis". The Omaha World-Herald Newspaper, Omaha, Douglas County, NE, USA. February 10, 1975. p. 29.
^ abc"Burt Theater, Advertisement". The Omaha World-Herald Newspaper, Omaha, Douglas County, NE, USA. August 1, 1915. p. 55.
^ ab"Question Mark". The Omaha World-Herald Newspaper, Omaha, Douglas County, NE, USA. October 14, 1967. p. 14.
^"Burwood Will Be The Gayety Next Sunday". The Omaha World-Herald Newspaper, Omaha, Douglas County, NE, USA. November 28, 1909. p. 3.
^ abc"The Gayety a Refined Burlesque". The Omaha World-Herald Newspaper, Omaha, Douglas County, NE, USA. September 23, 1965. p. 18.
^ ab"Lease Odd Fellows Temple for Ballroom". The Omaha World-Herald Newspaper, Omaha, Douglas County, NE, USA. September 13, 1936. p. 44.
^ ab"Music Box Sale Complete; To Become Bell Co. Parking". The Omaha World-Herald Newspaper, Omaha, Douglas County, NE, USA. September 6, 1980. p. 17.
^ abc"'Quartet' Seen in New House". The Omaha World-Herald Newspaper, Omaha, Douglas County, NE, USA. January 15, 1950.
^ abc"Theater Opening is Delayed Again". The Omaha World-Herald Newspaper, Omaha, Douglas County, NE, USA. July 11, 1973. p. 6.
^ abcd"City markets the Civic in hopes of new development - It offers the 9-acre site after weighing options for the last few years. - A look back at the Civic". The Omaha World-Herald Newspaper, Omaha, Douglas County, NE, USA. February 19, 2014.
^ abPolk's Omaha City Directory, 1946. 500 Kerbach Block, Omaha, Nebraska: R. L. Polk & Co., Publishers. 1946. p. 1679.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
^ ab"Westroads Dinner Theater's Finale". The Omaha World-Herald Newspaper, Omaha, Douglas County, NE, USA. February 24, 1978. p. 37.
^ abc"Night Life: Dinner Theater Coming". The Omaha World-Herald Newspaper, Omaha, Douglas County, NE, USA. July 9, 1970. p. 2.
^ abc"Advertisement, Wonderland Theater". The Omaha World-Herald Newspaper, Omaha, Douglas County, NE, USA. November 8, 1898.
^ abcdefgJeffrey S. Spencer [researcher & writer], Kristine Gerber [project director] (2003). Building for the ages : Omaha's architectural landmarks (1st ed.). Omaha, Neb.: Omaha Books. p. 40. ISBN0-9745410-1-X.
^"Cut Fees, Biker Films Mark Drive-In's End". The Omaha World-Herald Newspaper, Omaha, Douglas County, NE, USA. July 15, 1983. p. 40.
^ abcdefFischbach, Bob (August 6, 2007). "The big screen is gone, but not the memories - Last metro-area drive - in closed in '06 - 'Gone With the Wind' - 'Stand and Deliver' - 'Return to Me'". The Omaha World-Herald Newspaper, Omaha, Douglas County, NE, USA.