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Virginia Theatre
Théâtre à l'italienne
Since 1921, The Virginia Theatre has been a
landmark in the business district of Champaign, and in the history of the region. For 75
years, the 1525 seat theatre has offered entertainment as a vaudeville house, legitimate
theatre, and movie house. After over three decades as a movie house primarily, the Theatre
made the return to live performances in May of 1991 with a live theatre/concert called
Songs of America. The show sold out and they had to turn away 200 people. This was the
first show at the theatre since the theatre was dedicated to films only. In January of
2000, the Champaign Park District joined in the efforts to save this prized landmark. After
assuming control of the theatre, the Park District embarked on a massive renovation to
bring the facility back to its original glory and in compliance with local safety
ordinances. After renovations are complete, the Virginia Theatre will continue its
tradition of quality entertainment that was sparked by such legendary performers such as
Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Red Skelton, Will Rogers, W.C. Fields and the Marx
Brothers.
The building was commissioned in 1920 by A.W.
Stoolman, a prominent local contractor, and designed by theatre architects C. Howard Crane
and H. Kenneth Franzheim assisted by local architect George Ramey. Stoolman named the
theatre after his daughter Elizabeth Virginia Stoolman. He hoped to create a name that
would always bring to mind high class, moral entertainment. The exterior of the building is
in the Italian Renaissance style while the interior is of Spanish Renaissance design.
Masterfully crafted plaster work adorns the lobby and is repeated in the auditorium's
ceiling, door frames, and lighting fixtures. The original exterior was designed to resemble
and Italian pavilion. The architect called for yellow and red stripped awnings and trailing
vines planted on the storefront roofs to heighten the effect. The interior plaster work
includes designs of shields and heraldic symbols. It also includes busts of the Spanish
adventurers Cortez, Hernandez, and Alvarado, and the Christian arms of Ferdinand and
Isabella. The ceiling dome was originally finished in silver leaf.
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-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; ">In December
of 1999, the District received a $900,000 grant for rehabilitation of the theatre from the
State of Illinois. At present, the District also received a $50,000 donation from the
News-Gazette to restore the projection booth, a $5,000 grant from the Community Foundation
of Champaign County to kickoff the capital campaign, as well as a $3,000 grant from
Illinois Power to restore the marquee. The District has also received great support from
the people and organizations that had previously made loans to the theatre.
