List of theaters in Ponce, Puerto Rico

Teatro La Perla

This list of theaters in Ponce, Puerto Rico, consists of both movie theaters as well as the traditional performing arts theaters in the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Both historical (including no longer existing) as well a currently operating theaters are listed. During the first half of the 20th century, most theaters have been located in the central urban zone of the city. One prominent exception is Teatro Miramar, the theater that served the Playa community in barrio Playa, Ponce. Today's cinema theaters oftentimes have several screens under a single roof.

Theater list summary table

No.	Name	Photo	Barrio	Location	Type/Use	Opened (Year)	Halls	Seats	Architect	Style	Demolished Date
1	Teatro La Perla		Cuarto	C. Mayor NB and C. Cristina	Musical	1864	1	1,047	Juan Bertoli Calderoni	Neoclassical	Still standing
2	Teatro Fox Delicias		Segundo	Plaza Muñoz Rivera WB	Cinema	1931	1	Unk	Francisco Porrata-Doria	Art Deco	Still standing
3	Teatro Victoria		Segundo	C. Union NB and C. Victoria	Cinema	1930s[1]	1	Unk	Pedro Mendez Mercado?[2]	Art Deco[3]	Still standing
4	Teatro Rívoli (former Habana)		Tercero	C. Sol EB and C. Leon	Cinema	1909[4]	1	Unk	Alfredo Wiechers Pieretti[5]	Art Deco[6]	Still standing
5	Teatro Broadway		Quinto	C. Mayor SB, between C. Sol and C. Isabel	Cinema	1918[7]	1	1,000[8]	Eduardo Salichs[9]	Spanish Colonial Revival[10]	March 1982[11]
6	Teatro Miramar		Playa	C. Arias WB and C. Alfonso XII[note 1]	Cinema	Before 1946[12]	1	Unk	Unknown	Art Deco	Still standing
7	Teatro Argel		Segundo	C. Victoria EB and C. Fogos	Cinema	1940[13][14]	1	Unk	Pedro Méndez Mercado[15][16][17]	Art Deco	Still standing
8	Teatro Rex		Sexto	C. Cantera NB and C. Acueducto	Cinema	1930s[18]	1	Unk	Pedro Mendez Mercado?[19]	Art Deco	Still standing
9	Teatro Bélgica		Cuarto	C. Gran Via WB and C. Colombia	Cinema	1940[20]	1	Unk	Pedro Mendez Mercado?[21]	Art Deco	Still standing
10	Teatro Hollywood		Primero	C. Villa EB and C. Esperanza	Cinema	1930s[22]	1	Unk	Pedro Mendez Mercado?[23]	Art Deco	Still standing
11	Teatro Universal		Segundo	C. Progreso SB and C. Sol	Cinema	1930s[24]	1	Unk	Pedro Mendez Mercado?[25]	Art Deco	Still standing
12	Teatro National		Cuarto	C. Comercio EB, between C. Cruz and C. Tres (Belgica)	Cinema	1930s[26]	1	Unk	Unknown	Modern	Still standing
13	Ponce Towne Center		Canas	PR-2 WB and Avenida Barayama NB	Cinema	1997/2013[27]	13	Unk	Unknown	Modern	Still standing
14	Caribbean Cinemas		Playa[28]	Plaza del Caribe Mall	Cinema	1992	11	Unk	Unknown	Modern	Still standing
15	El Emperador 1&2		Machuelo Abajo	Blvd. Miguel Pou WB, Urb. Valle Verde	Cinema	Unknown	2	575 each hall[29]	George Schavran[30]	Modern	2000[31]
16	Teatro Apolo (former Mundial)[32]		Quinto	C. Salud SB, between C. Guadalupe and C. Estrella[33][34][35]	Cinema	Unknown	1	Unk	Unknown	Neoclassical	ca. 1950s
17	Teatro Venus[36]		Unknown	Unknown	Mixed[37][38]	1913[39][40]	1	Unk	Unknown[41]	Unknown	Unknown
18	Teatro Santa María		Canas Urbano[42]	C. Ferrocarril WB, between C. Capitan Correa and C. James McManus	Cinema	Unknown	1	Unk	Unknown	Modern	ca. 1980s
19	Twin Towers		San Anton[43]	PR-133 EB, between Av. Las Americas and C. Napoles	Cinema	Unknown	3	Unk	Unknown	Modern	Still standing
20	Ponce Drive-In		Playa[44]	Ponce Bypass EB and PR-585	Cinema	Unknown	1	Unk	Unknown	Drive-In	ca. 1970s
21	Teatro UPRP		Playa[45]	U. de Puerto Rico en Ponce	Musical	Unknown	1	500[46]	Unknown	Modern	Still standing
22	Teatro Antonio Paoli[47]		Sabanetas[48]	Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico en Ponce	Musical	Unknown	1	Unk	Unknown	Modern	Still standing
23	Teatro Vicente Murga[49]		Canas Urbano[50]	Pontificia Universidad Católica de Puerto Rico	Multi-use	2015[51][a]	1	700+[52]	Unknown	Modern	Still standing
24	Concha Acústica de Ponce		Cuarto[53]	C. Marina NB and C. Campeche	Musical	After ca. 1890s	1	Unk	Unknown	Art Deco	Still standing

Key:
C. = Calle (street)
NB = Northbound
SB = Southbound
WB = Westbound
EB = Eastbound

Rafael Ramos Cobian was the owner of the Victoria, Apolo, Hollywood, Universal, Belgica, Argel, and Nacional theaters; Luis Fortuño Janeiro owned the Rex; Teatro Miramar belonged to the Carlo Family.[54] The first owner of Teatro Broadway was Rafael Napoleonis.[55]

Gallery

• 
  Teatro La Perla (1864)
• 
  Teatro Broadway (1918-1982)
• 
  Teatro Fox Delicias (1931)
• 
  Concha Acústica de Ponce (1956)

Notes

1. The theater is located at the northeast corner of Calle Arias and Calle Alfonso XII (aka Calle Dr. Ulises Clavell).

Footnotes

1. 2015 is the date when Teatro Vicenta Murga (PUCPR) was significantly enlarged; this theater already existed many years prior to 2015.

References

1. Elements to Bear in Mind about Ponce Architecture. Jorge Ortiz Colom. Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, Ponce Office.. November 2007. Accessed 20 March 2018.
2. La arquitectura de Ponce, [Puerto Rico] y sus elementos. Jorge Ortiz Colom. p.5 November 2007. Accessed 8 February 2018.
3. ArtDeco en Ponce. Archived 5 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2 October 2013.
4. Ponce: Disfrutalo: Galeria de Fotos: Fotos Antiguas: Image 33 of 85. Archived 29 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine Ponce Municipal Government. Official Website. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
5. Ponce: Disfrutalo: Galeria de Fotos: Fotos Antiguas: Image 33 of 85. Archived 29 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine Ponce Municipal Government. Official Website. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
6. ArtDeco en Ponce. Archived 5 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2 October 2013.
7. Neysa Rodriguez Deynes. Brevario sobre la Historia de Ponce. Second Edition. Government of the Municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. 2002. page 119.
8. De vuelta al cine mudo y el legado del ponceño Juan Ríos Ovalle: El teatro Broadway contaba con mil butacas; era único en su clase en todo el país. Aun así, años atrás fue demolido. Néstor Murray-Irizarry, founder, Casa Paoli. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 21 February 2018. Accessed 23 February 2018.
9. De vuelta al cine mudo y el legado del ponceño Juan Ríos Ovalle: El teatro Broadway contaba con mil butacas; era único en su clase en todo el país. Aun así, años atrás fue demolido. Néstor Murray-Irizarry, founder, Casa Paoli. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 21 February 2018. Accessed 23 February 2018.
10. Neysa Rodriguez Deynes. Breviario sobre la Historia de Ponce. 2nd ed. 2002. Page 120. Bayamon, PR: Impress Quality Printing. ISBN 0-615-12181-0.
11. Carmelo Rosario Natal. Ponce En Su Historia Moderna: 1945-2002. Published by Secretaría de Cultura y Turismo of the Government of the Autonomous Municipality of Ponce. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 2003. p. 123.
12. Trabajadores de muelle participando en asamblea efectuada en el teatro de la Playa de Ponce.
13. An Art Deco Theater in Puerto Rico Finds New Life As a Bakery. Rebecca Gale. National Trust for Historic Preservation. 1 November 2018. Accessed 8 November 2018.
14. Elements to Bear in Mind about Ponce Architecture. Jorge Ortiz Colom. Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, Ponce Office.. November 2007. Accessed 20 March 2018.
15. An Art Deco Theater in Puerto Rico Finds New Life As a Bakery. Rebecca Gale. National Trust for Historic Preservation. 1 November 2018. Accessed 8 November 2018.
16. Calle Victoria Theater. PRADS. Sociedad Puertorriqueña de Arquitectura Histórica. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
17. La arquitectura de Ponce, [Puerto Rico] y sus elementos. Jorge Ortiz Colom. p.5 November 2007. Accessed 8 February 2018.
18. Elements to Bear in Mind about Ponce Architecture. Jorge Ortiz Colom. Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, Ponce Office.. November 2007. Accessed 20 March 2018.
19. La arquitectura de Ponce, [Puerto Rico] y sus elementos. Jorge Ortiz Colom. p.5 November 2007. Accessed 8 February 2018.
20. Carmelo Rosario Natal. Ponce En Su Historia Moderna: 1945-2002. Published by Secretaría de Cultura y Turismo of the Government of the Autonomous Municipality of Ponce. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 2003. p. 94.
21. La arquitectura de Ponce, [Puerto Rico] y sus elementos. Jorge Ortiz Colom. p.5 November 2007. Accessed 8 February 2018.
22. Elements to Bear in Mind about Ponce Architecture. Jorge Ortiz Colom. Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, Ponce Office.. November 2007. Accessed 20 March 2018.
23. La arquitectura de Ponce, [Puerto Rico] y sus elementos. Jorge Ortiz Colom. p.5 November 2007. Accessed 8 February 2018.
24. Elements to Bear in Mind about Ponce Architecture. Jorge Ortiz Colom. Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, Ponce Regional Office. November 2007. Accessed 20 March 2018.
25. La arquitectura de Ponce, [Puerto Rico] y sus elementos. Jorge Ortiz Colom. p.5 November 2007. Accessed 8 February 2018.
26. Elements to Bear in Mind about Ponce Architecture. Jorge Ortiz Colom. Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, Ponce Regional Office. November 2007. Accessed 20 March 2018.
27. Ponce Towne Center. Jaime00. Cinema Treasures. Accessed 18 April 2018.
28. At Plaza del Caribe
29. El Emperador 1&2. Jaime00. Cinema Treasures. Accessed 18 April 2018.
30. El Emperador 1&2. Jaime00. Cinema Treasures. Accessed 18 April 2018.
31. El Emperador 1&2. Jaime00. Cinema Treasures. Accessed 18 April 2018.
32. Originally, "Cine Mundial". See, De vuelta al cine mudo y el legado del ponceño Juan Ríos Ovalle. Néstor Murray-Irizarry, founder, Casa Paoli. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 21 February 2018. Accessed 23 February 2018.
33. Ciudad de Ponce y Playa (Map). Archivo Digital Nacional de Puerto Rico. Accessed 10 October 2018.
34. Ciudad de Ponce y Playa (Map). Archivo Digital Nacional de Puerto Rico. Accessed 10 October 2018.
35. Ciudad de Ponce y Playa. (Map) Antonio Calcionado, Jr. Archivo Digital Nacional de Puerto Rico. (Archivo General de Puerto Rico Mapoteca. Colección José Enamorado Cuesta.) March 1940. Accessed 15 October 2018.
36. Museo de la Historia de Ponce. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 2017. Sala: "Comercio" (Hall: "Commerce"). Tema: "El Cine" (Theme: "Cinema"). 5 January 2017.
37. Fay Fowlie de Flores. Ponce, Perla del Sur: Una Bibliográfica Anotada. Second Edition. 1997. Ponce, Puerto Rico: Universidad de Puerto Rico en Ponce. p. 277. Item 1384. LCCN 92-75480
38. "Cronicones." Revista de las Antillas. Issue 1 (1 April 1913) pp. 149-155. (Colegio Universitario Tecnológico de Ponce, CUTPO).
39. Fay Fowlie de Flores. Ponce, Perla del Sur: Una Bibliográfica Anotada. Second Edition. 1997. Ponce, Puerto Rico: Universidad de Puerto Rico en Ponce. p. 277. Item 1384. LCCN 92-75480
40. "Cronicones." Revista de las Antillas. Issue 1 (1 April 1913) pp. 149-155. (Colegio Universitario Tecnológico de Ponce, CUTPO).
41. This theater was founded by Eugenio Astol, Felix Matos, and Nemesio Canales. See Fay Fowlie de Flores. Ponce, Perla del Sur: Una Bibliográfica Anotada. Second Edition. 1997. Ponce, Puerto Rico: Universidad de Puerto Rico en Ponce. p. 277. Item 1384. LCCN 92-75480; "Cronicones." Revista de las Antillas. Issue 1 (1 April 1913) pp. 149-155. (Colegio Universitario Tecnológico de Ponce, CUTPO).
42. Located across from Santa Maria Shopping Center El cine en Ponce: antes y ahora. Marangeli Estrada. El Sur en la piel. 9 July 2010. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
43. Located across from Rovira Biscuits Corporation El cine en Ponce: antes y ahora. Marangeli Estrada. El Sur en la piel. 9 July 2010. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
44. Located at SE corner of PR-2 and PR-585 El cine en Ponce: antes y ahora. Marangeli Estrada. El Sur en la piel. 9 July 2010. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
45. Located at Universidad de Puerto Rico en Ponce
46. Historia Institucional, 1970-1979. Nuestra Universidad, Tu Universidad: Universidad de Puerto Rico en Ponce (UPRP). UPR-Ponce. Accessed 12 October 2020.
47. En Ponce: Festival de Cine Internacional: En el Teatro Vicente Murga también se presentará este jueves el galardonado drama español Todos lo saben, estelarizado por Penélope Cruz y Javier Bardem. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 25 September - 1 October 2019. Year 35. Issue 1869, Page 11. Accessed 25 September 2019.
48. Located at Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico en Ponce
49. La vida de Morel inspira "Torbellino". Fundación Nacional para la Cultura Popular. Section "Teatro." 28 April 2019. Accessed 6 June 2019.
50. Located at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Puerto Rico
51. Contundente compromiso con plataforma cultural: La Pontificia Universidad Católica de Puerto Rico fortalece su agenda con proyectos de primer orden. Jalibeth Rodríguez Rivera. "Huellas del Futuro." PUCPR. 6 February 2015. Accessed 29 January 2020.
52. Contundente compromiso con plataforma cultural: La Pontificia Universidad Católica de Puerto Rico fortalece su agenda con proyectos de primer orden. Jalibeth Rodríguez Rivera. "Huellas del Futuro." PUCPR. 6 February 2015. Accessed 29 January 2020.
53. This is an open air amphitheaters
54. Carmelo Rosario Natal. Ponce En Su Historia Moderna: 1945-2002. Published by Secretaría de Cultura y Turismo of the Government of the Autonomous Municipality of Ponce. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 2003. p. 93.
55. De vuelta al cine mudo y el legado del ponceño Juan Ríos Ovalle. Néstor Murray-Irizarry, founder, Casa Paoli. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 21 February 2018. Accessed 23 February 2018.

Further reading

• Fay Fowlie de Flores. Ponce, Perla del Sur: Una Bibliográfica Anotada. Second Edition. 1997. Ponce, Puerto Rico: Universidad de Puerto Rico en Ponce. p. 251. Item 1269. LCCN 92-75480
• Pedro Luis Perea Rosello. "Nuevas Paginas Sobre la Historia de Ponce." Horizontes. Año 5. (Abril de 1962) pp. 79-91. (Colegio Universitario Tecnológico de Ponce, CUTPO / Pontificia Universidad Católica de Puerto Rico).