State Theatre (New Brunswick, New Jersey)


State Theatre New Jersey is a nonprofit theater, located in New Brunswick, New Jersey. It has seating for 1,850 people. Designed by architect Thomas W. Lamb in 1921, it is one of the oldest theaters in the State of New Jersey. State Theatre New Jersey presents a diverse roster of entertainment including international orchestras, Broadway, comedy, dance, pop, rock, family events, and more. The theater is the state's second largest non-profit presenting hall, which contributes commensurately to New Jersey's $45 million performing-arts tourism industry, annually attracting more than 200,000 patrons.

History

The State Theatre was built in 1921 as Reade's State Theatre by Thomas W. Lamb and managed by Walter Reade for both movies and live performances. It opened with five vaudeville acts and a single matinee screening of the silent western White Oak, starring William S. Hart. Patrons, including first ticket buyer, nine-year-old Victor Levin, paid 20-30 cents per admission.
The theater was placed under the management of Benjamin Franklin Keith and Edward Franklin Albee II of B.F Keith Theatre chain, which then was the largest vaudeville theater chain in the early 1920s. After the death of Keith, Albee continued the operation and eventually merged with Orpheum, the largest western booking agency to form Keith-Albee-Orpheum.
In 1928, The Radio Corporation of America acquired KAO as a subsidiary and KAO changed to Radio-Keith-Orpheum; also known as RKO. Within one year, the theater was equipped for sound.
In 1933 the RKO State Theatre underwent major renovations ending with a RKO Art-Deco renovation. With the advent of talking movies, the theater became a popular cinema for first-run movies beginning in 1939.
In the 1950s RKO State Theatre began to host rock ‘n’ roll shows featuring popular artists like The Satins, Chubby Checker, and more. This emerging genre led to yet another renovation of the theater adding acoustic tiles, which helped produce a booming sound.

Revitalization

The State Theatre continued to operate into the 1960s until audiences switched to multiplex cinemas. RKO sold the building to a business that showed adult movies and the structure declined. In 1979 it was purchased by the New Brunswick Development Corporation as part of New Brunswick's revitalization project for $455,000.New Jersey|accessdate=12 June 2017

Notable events

Artists who have performed at State Theatre New Jersey throughout the years include Ringo Starr, Diana Ross, Harry Connick Jr., David Copperfield, Frankie Valli, Bruce Springsteen, George Carlin, Lewis Black, kd lang, John Leguizamo, and Aretha Franklin. The State Theatre has also hosted distinguished international orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Munich Symphony Orchestra, the Mariinsky Orchestra, and the BBC Concert Orchestra, among others.
On May 20, 2009, the State Theatre hosted the last performance by Peter, Paul, and Mary. Due to Mary Travers' long illness and continuing decline, the remaining shows that the trio had planned were either canceled, or only featured Peter Yarrow and Noel "Paul" Stookey. Mary Travers died of complications from chemotherapy on September 16, 2009.
On November 14, 2018 the historic State Theatre New Jersey was the focus of the second episode of NJTV's Treasures of New Jersey.

Timeline