The Historic Virginia Theatre
Virginia Theatre, circa 2008
Location203 W. Park Champaign, IL 61820
OwnerChampaign Park District
TypeRenovated theatre
Capacity1,463
OpenedDecember 28, 1921
Virginia Theater
Virginia Theatre (Champaign) is located in Illinois
Virginia Theatre (Champaign)
Virginia Theatre (Champaign) is located in the United States
Virginia Theatre (Champaign)
Location203 W. Park Ave., Champaign, Illinois
Coordinates40°7′1.2″N 88°14′43.8″W / 40.117000°N 88.245500°W / 40.117000; -88.245500
Arealess than one acre
Built1921 (1921)
ArchitectC. Howard Crane and Kenneth Franzheim, George Ramey
Architectural styleRenaissance
NRHP reference No.03001201[1]
Added to NRHPNovember 28, 2003

The Virginia Theatre is a live performance and movie theatre in downtown Champaign, Illinois. It has been providing theatrical and cinematic entertainment to the Champaign-Urbana community since its doors opened in 1921. Each year, the Virginia Theatre is host to movies from film reels, plays from various acting troupes, concerts, and Ebertfest, presented by the UIUC College of Media. It is currently owned by the Champaign Park District.

History

The Virginia Theatre opened December 28, 1921 with a live stage performance of The Bat. The following night, the silent films Tol'able David and The Boat were shown at the theatre. Since then, it has been presenting movies, live concerts, and plays to the Champaign-Urbana community and has only been closed for short periods of renovation by the Park District. Until recently, the Virginia Theatre was privately owned. From the 1930s to the 1960s, RKO Pictures held ownership. Subsequently, George Kerasotes Corporation (GKC Theatres) owned the building until it was sold to the Virginia Theater Group, a not-for-profit organization, organized for that purpose in the 1990s. The Champaign Park District purchased it in January 2000.

The theatre was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003, based on its historical role in providing a wide variety of entertainment to Champaign and surrounding area, particularly in the years between 1921 and 1953. Of note were theatrical productions, vaudeville, concerts, and motion pictures. Also noteworthy was the building's state of preservation and the integrity of its original early to mid 20th century roots.[2]

Restoration

A major part of the Virginia Theatre is its restoration. In December 1999, the Champaign Park District received a $900,000 grant from the State of Illinois to restore the then run-down theatre. Extensive work was done to bring the building up to current code, most of it not visible to the general public. In 2000, the curved movie screen that had been in place for decades was replaced with a smaller screen (50-foot wide viewable image) which can be flown offstage.[3] Additional restrooms were completed in 2001. Box office renovation, dressing room remodeling, and carpet replacement took place in 2002-2003. The east lobby/storefront was remodeled during 2007, and the main lobbies and concession stand were renovated and redecorated in 2010, thanks to a considerable donation from Michael Carragher.[4] The decaying 1930s-era neon marquee was removed from the theatre on November 16, 2010, and it was replaced with a newly designed marquee in September 2011, in spite of opposition from many community members and historic preservation advocates.[5]

Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ

In 1921, the Rudolph Wurlitzer Company installed a theatre organ to provide musical accompaniment for silent films. That 2/8 (two keyboard, eight ranks of pipes) instrument[6] was removed by Buzard Pipe Organ Builders[7] of Champaign in December 2010 for renovation,[8] and it was reinstalled in the Fall of 2011.

Events

The Virginia Theatre hosts a wide variety of events throughout the year. Classic films play on the 56-foot-wide screen several nights every month. The theatre is also a popular venue for touring musical acts and comedians. From 1992 until 2010, the Champaign-Urbana Theatre Company, or CUTC, performed plays at the theatre. CUTC once again performs shows starting in 2016. Since 2015, That's What She Said, an annual presentation by The She Said Project, has been a popular event at the theatre providing a spotlight on local women's stories.[9]

Roger Ebert's Film Festival

A statue of Roger Ebert outside the Virginia Theater.
A statue of Roger Ebert giving his "thumbs up" outside the Virginia Theater.

Every April, the Theatre is host to Ebertfest: Roger Ebert's Film Festival. Beginning in 1999 as Roger Ebert's Overlooked Film Festival, it has become a very popular event with festival passes selling out well in advance. Founded by Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert, the event hosts several less known films as well some popular films.

Following Ebert's death in 2013, organizers in Champaign announced plans to raise $125,000 to build a life-size bronze statue of Ebert in the town. The composition was selected by Ebert's wife Chaz and depicts him sitting in the middle of three theater seats giving his trademark "thumbs up" gesture. The sculpture was unveiled at the 2014 Ebertfest, and sits directly outside the theater.[10][11]

References

  1. ↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. ↑ Stephen A. Thompson (February 6, 2003). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Virginia Theater" (PDF). National Park Service. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 23, 2014. Retrieved 2014-10-23.
  3. ↑ "VT History". Archived from the original on 2009-03-05. Retrieved 2009-03-05.
  4. ↑ "Unknown".
  5. ↑ "Government Archives".
  6. ↑ "Virginia Theatre Wurlitzer". www.theatreorgans.com.
  7. ↑ "Virginia Theater Champaign IL 1921/1924 Wurlitzer Theater Organ". buzardorgans.com. 26 May 2015. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Minutes of the Regular Board Meeting Champaign Park District Board Of Commissioners" (PDF). Champaign Park District. November 10, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 23, 2014. Retrieved 2022-11-23.
  9. ↑ "That's what they said". 4 October 2015.
  10. ↑ "Ebert statue planned in Champaign". Chicago Sun-Times. September 12, 2013. Archived from the original on October 29, 2014. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Roger Ebert Statue Unveiled Outside Illinois Theater". 25 April 2014. Retrieved 2015-06-01.
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