Strand Theater, Lakewood
Encyclopedia
The Strand Theater is a vaudeville
theater in Lakewood, New Jersey on the List of Registered Historic Places in New Jersey.
The theater was designed by Thomas Lamb
, and built for the Ferber Amusement Company in 1922 as a place for pre-broadway runs of shows. http://cinematreasures.org/theater/1292 The first event at the theater was a showing of a silent film, "Peacock Alley" starring Mae Murray
. The next show was a pre-broadway run of "The Devine Cook" starring Florence Reed.
Within a few years of its opening, the Strand began to host vaudeville
shows and silent films. Among the stars who appeared on the Strand's stage early in their careers included Burns & Allen, Milton Berle
, and Ray Bolger
. http://cinematreasures.org/theater/1292
During World War II
, the theater became a cinema house, and omitted the vaudeville
acts. As suburban multiplex movie theaters were built, the single screen theater lost its audience. During its economic decline it became a porn
theater in the 1970s. In 1981 the theater was added to the List of Registered Historic Places in New Jersey. In May 1982, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places
. The theater received a $2.4 million grant from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority
in 1994 for restoration of its Neo-classical
and Art Deco
interiors. http://www.state.nj.us/dca/njht/funded/sitedetails/strandtheatre.html The theater serves as the Ocean County Center for the Arts. http://twp.lakewood.nj.us/parkrec_music.htm
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
theater in Lakewood, New Jersey on the List of Registered Historic Places in New Jersey.
The theater was designed by Thomas Lamb
Thomas Lamb
Thomas Babbit Lamb was an American industrial designer. He is best known for his innovative handle designs closely modeled on the mechanics of the human hand.- Biography :Lamb was born in Detroit City on September 18, 1896...
, and built for the Ferber Amusement Company in 1922 as a place for pre-broadway runs of shows. http://cinematreasures.org/theater/1292 The first event at the theater was a showing of a silent film, "Peacock Alley" starring Mae Murray
Mae Murray
Mae Murray was an American actress, dancer, film producer, and screenwriter. Murray rose to fame during the silent film era and was known as "The Girl with the Bee-Stung Lips" and "The Gardenia of the Screen"....
. The next show was a pre-broadway run of "The Devine Cook" starring Florence Reed.
Within a few years of its opening, the Strand began to host vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
shows and silent films. Among the stars who appeared on the Strand's stage early in their careers included Burns & Allen, Milton Berle
Milton Berle
Milton Berlinger , better known as Milton Berle, was an American comedian and actor. As the manic host of NBC's Texaco Star Theater , in 1948 he was the first major star of U.S. television and as such became known as Uncle Miltie and Mr...
, and Ray Bolger
Ray Bolger
Raymond Wallace "Ray" Bolger was an American entertainer of stage and screen, best known for his portrayal of the Scarecrow and Kansas farmworker Hank in The Wizard of Oz.-Early life:...
. http://cinematreasures.org/theater/1292
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the theater became a cinema house, and omitted the vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
acts. As suburban multiplex movie theaters were built, the single screen theater lost its audience. During its economic decline it became a porn
PORN
Porn is a common short form for pornography. It may also refer to:* Progressive outer retinal necrosis, a disease of the retina* PORN, a French industrial rock band...
theater in the 1970s. In 1981 the theater was added to the List of Registered Historic Places in New Jersey. In May 1982, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. The theater received a $2.4 million grant from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority
New Jersey Economic Development Authority
The New Jersey Economic Development Authority is an independent, quasi-governmental self-supporting entity in the U.S. state of New Jersey dedicated to broadening and expanding the state's economic base....
in 1994 for restoration of its Neo-classical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
and Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
interiors. http://www.state.nj.us/dca/njht/funded/sitedetails/strandtheatre.html The theater serves as the Ocean County Center for the Arts. http://twp.lakewood.nj.us/parkrec_music.htm