Scad Theatre, Savannah, GA
Scad Theatre, 216 East Broughton Street, Savannah, Georgia. The Weis Theater was built in the midst of the post-World War II construction boom. News reports described the facility as "completely fireproof construction." In addition, the theater held the distinction of having one of the largest movie screens in the South and was the first theater in the Southeast to be built with air conditioning adjustable to the needs of the audience. Owners Mr. and Mrs. Fred G. Weis promised and delivered a "completely new and modern motion picture theater," constructed on the site of a bowling alley that had been damaged by fire. The Weis family theater dynasty also included the Savannah Theater, the Roxy Theater, the East Side Theater and the Bibb Theater in Macon.
On Feb. 14, 1946, the Weis Theater opened its doors with an 11 a.m. showing of Enchanted Forest starring Brenda Joyce and Edmund Lowe. The morning paper's description of the Weis read, "Not only has the management gone to lengths to acquire the most attractive decorations and appointments for the new theater, but will offer the best which can be procured in projection equipment and sound devices."
The theater seated 1,200 patrons and could accommodate both motion pictures and theatrical performances. The Art Moderne structure was designed by the Tucker and Howell Firm of Atlanta. Partners McKendree Tucker (1896-1972) and Albert Howell (1904-74) were the only Georgia architects representing the International Style in the 1932 exhibition curated by Philip Johnson and Henry Russell Hitchcock for the Museum of Modern Art. Tucker, who trained at Georgia Institute of Technology, and Howell, the son of Atlanta Constitution editor Clark Howell, developed a specialty in modern theater architecture in Georgia, designing at least eight other theaters besides the Weis. They also designed a number of Atlanta schools, and occasionally collaborated with sculptor Julian Harris. The War Production Board oversaw all construction during World War II, including that of the Weis Theater.
film fest, trustees theater exterior
The Weis remained a working theater, presenting live shows as well as films, until 1980, when the emergence of multi-screen suburban cinemas drew audiences away from downtown. It stood abandoned for years until it was acquired by the Savannah College of Art and Design in 1989 to serve the emerging performing arts department as well as provide a venue for the annual spring Fashion Show and for screening student films, videos and computer animations. The structure reopened as Trustees Theater May 9, 1998, with a performance by singer Tony Bennett.
The Trustees Theater now hosts a variety of performances, concerts and lectures for SCAD and the community. By restoring the theater to its former Art Moderne splendor and by attracting major performers, SCAD has contributed to the revival of the Savannah theater district.
Scad Theatre, Savannah, GA
Scad Theatre, 216 East Broughton Street, Savannah, Georgia. The Weis Theater was built in the midst of the post-World War II construction boom. News reports described the facility as "completely fireproof construction." In addition, the theater held the distinction of having one of the largest movie screens in the South and was the first theater in the Southeast to be built with air conditioning adjustable to the needs of the audience. Owners Mr. and Mrs. Fred G. Weis promised and delivered a "completely new and modern motion picture theater," constructed on the site of a bowling alley that had been damaged by fire. The Weis family theater dynasty also included the Savannah Theater, the Roxy Theater, the East Side Theater and the Bibb Theater in Macon.
On Feb. 14, 1946, the Weis Theater opened its doors with an 11 a.m. showing of Enchanted Forest starring Brenda Joyce and Edmund Lowe. The morning paper's description of the Weis read, "Not only has the management gone to lengths to acquire the most attractive decorations and appointments for the new theater, but will offer the best which can be procured in projection equipment and sound devices."
The theater seated 1,200 patrons and could accommodate both motion pictures and theatrical performances. The Art Moderne structure was designed by the Tucker and Howell Firm of Atlanta. Partners McKendree Tucker (1896-1972) and Albert Howell (1904-74) were the only Georgia architects representing the International Style in the 1932 exhibition curated by Philip Johnson and Henry Russell Hitchcock for the Museum of Modern Art. Tucker, who trained at Georgia Institute of Technology, and Howell, the son of Atlanta Constitution editor Clark Howell, developed a specialty in modern theater architecture in Georgia, designing at least eight other theaters besides the Weis. They also designed a number of Atlanta schools, and occasionally collaborated with sculptor Julian Harris. The War Production Board oversaw all construction during World War II, including that of the Weis Theater.
film fest, trustees theater exterior
The Weis remained a working theater, presenting live shows as well as films, until 1980, when the emergence of multi-screen suburban cinemas drew audiences away from downtown. It stood abandoned for years until it was acquired by the Savannah College of Art and Design in 1989 to serve the emerging performing arts department as well as provide a venue for the annual spring Fashion Show and for screening student films, videos and computer animations. The structure reopened as Trustees Theater May 9, 1998, with a performance by singer Tony Bennett.
The Trustees Theater now hosts a variety of performances, concerts and lectures for SCAD and the community. By restoring the theater to its former Art Moderne splendor and by attracting major performers, SCAD has contributed to the revival of the Savannah theater district.