Granby Theatre, Norfolk, VA
Granby Theatre, 421 Granby Street, Norfolk, Virginia. The Granby Theatre was constructed 100 years ago under the direction of an Italian immigrant, Mr. Feroni. Originally the theater was named The Virginian and was built for small plays, one act operas, and vaudeville shows. Granby Street was known as “Theater Row” in those days, and each theater would sell out nightly to thousands of sharply dressed visitors.
The theater’s design included cat walks above the ceiling which provided access above the ceiling to hang props, special effects, and acrobatic equipment for live performers. and those features are still in use today. The Granby Theater was one the first buildings in the south to have air conditioning and fire suppression systems. As time went by, silent films became popular, and an organist would play seated behind the latticework of gold walls to the right of the stage. “Talkies,” or modern day movies, were shown some time later- including Saturday morning matinees for the kids.
The theater eventually closed in 1986, and would not reopen its doors again to the public for nearly twenty years. When it came time to restore the theater to its former glory, the development team relied on a number of professionals. Both state and federal consultants were commissioned in conjunction with a certified historic artist to beautifully restore the theater. The facade of the theater didn’t have a marquee until “silent movies” went mainstream. Prior to motion pictures, the front of the building was more open and included Roman columns and a ticket booth. The present marquee is restored, and dates from the 1930s.
Granby Theatre, Norfolk, VA
Granby Theatre, 421 Granby Street, Norfolk, Virginia. The Granby Theatre was constructed 100 years ago under the direction of an Italian immigrant, Mr. Feroni. Originally the theater was named The Virginian and was built for small plays, one act operas, and vaudeville shows. Granby Street was known as “Theater Row” in those days, and each theater would sell out nightly to thousands of sharply dressed visitors.
The theater’s design included cat walks above the ceiling which provided access above the ceiling to hang props, special effects, and acrobatic equipment for live performers. and those features are still in use today. The Granby Theater was one the first buildings in the south to have air conditioning and fire suppression systems. As time went by, silent films became popular, and an organist would play seated behind the latticework of gold walls to the right of the stage. “Talkies,” or modern day movies, were shown some time later- including Saturday morning matinees for the kids.
The theater eventually closed in 1986, and would not reopen its doors again to the public for nearly twenty years. When it came time to restore the theater to its former glory, the development team relied on a number of professionals. Both state and federal consultants were commissioned in conjunction with a certified historic artist to beautifully restore the theater. The facade of the theater didn’t have a marquee until “silent movies” went mainstream. Prior to motion pictures, the front of the building was more open and included Roman columns and a ticket booth. The present marquee is restored, and dates from the 1930s.