Indianapolis theaters collection
Collection
Identifier: L520
Scope and Contents
This collection includes the business record books and inventories for the Circle Theatre, Indiana Ball Room, and the English Theatre as well as some small cards from the Lyric Theatre, ranging from 1915 to 1949.
Dates
- 1915-1949
Creator
- Circle Theatre (Indianapolis, Ind.) (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Administrative History
The Circle Theatre opened August 30, 1916 as the first building in Indianapolis built for the purpose of feature length motion pictures. It was the first theatre in Indiana to premier The Jazz Singer, the first "talkie" movie.
"In 1916, several local businessmen set out to finance the construction of a theater on Monument Circle, on a site occupied by a livery stable for much of the 19th century. Designed by Indianapolis architects Rubush and Hunter, the theater was built in a Neo-Classical Revival style – marked by symmetry, bright colors and simplicity and inspired by the arts of ancient Greece and Rome – and its interior was designed in the style of 18th-century architect Robert Adam, who employed motifs from Greek, Etruscan and Pompeian artists.
The pastoral-themed mural over the marquee, which still remains, was created by Irvington Group artist Clifton Wheeler.
For much of the 20th century, the theater served as a majestic venue for film and live acts. In 1928, the first movie with sound ever shown in Indianapolis, The Jazz Singer, was shown at the theater. In the 1940s, big band jazz groups, including the Glenn Miller Orchestra, played on the theater’s stage.
By the 1970s, the Circle Theatre had fallen into disrepair as suburban movie theaters were becoming more popular. In 1980, then-commercial real estate broker George Kuhn approached Zane Todd, the chairman and chief executive officer of Indianapolis Power and Light Company (the next-door neighbor to the Circle Theatre), about having IPL buy and renovate the theater for the community. IPL purchased the building, took the lead in the theater's $7 million renovation, and the new home of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra became a realization on October 12, 1984 (Encyclopedia of Indianapolis, 1994)."
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William H. English built the English Theatre and Opera House in the 1880's. The company and theatre remained in existence until April 20, 1948.
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The Indiana Ballroom was built in 1927 as an addition to the Indiana Theatre. The Indiana Theatre hosted a variety of events including: vaudeville shows, plays, orchestra performances, feature full-length motion pictures, and swing dances.
Sources:
Bodenhamer, David J., Robert G. Barrows, and David G. Vanderstel. The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1994.
"Hilbert Circle Theatre." Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Accessed January 27, 2016. https://www.indianapolissymphony.org/about/hilbert-circle-theatre.
"In 1916, several local businessmen set out to finance the construction of a theater on Monument Circle, on a site occupied by a livery stable for much of the 19th century. Designed by Indianapolis architects Rubush and Hunter, the theater was built in a Neo-Classical Revival style – marked by symmetry, bright colors and simplicity and inspired by the arts of ancient Greece and Rome – and its interior was designed in the style of 18th-century architect Robert Adam, who employed motifs from Greek, Etruscan and Pompeian artists.
The pastoral-themed mural over the marquee, which still remains, was created by Irvington Group artist Clifton Wheeler.
For much of the 20th century, the theater served as a majestic venue for film and live acts. In 1928, the first movie with sound ever shown in Indianapolis, The Jazz Singer, was shown at the theater. In the 1940s, big band jazz groups, including the Glenn Miller Orchestra, played on the theater’s stage.
By the 1970s, the Circle Theatre had fallen into disrepair as suburban movie theaters were becoming more popular. In 1980, then-commercial real estate broker George Kuhn approached Zane Todd, the chairman and chief executive officer of Indianapolis Power and Light Company (the next-door neighbor to the Circle Theatre), about having IPL buy and renovate the theater for the community. IPL purchased the building, took the lead in the theater's $7 million renovation, and the new home of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra became a realization on October 12, 1984 (Encyclopedia of Indianapolis, 1994)."
-----
William H. English built the English Theatre and Opera House in the 1880's. The company and theatre remained in existence until April 20, 1948.
-----
The Indiana Ballroom was built in 1927 as an addition to the Indiana Theatre. The Indiana Theatre hosted a variety of events including: vaudeville shows, plays, orchestra performances, feature full-length motion pictures, and swing dances.
Sources:
Bodenhamer, David J., Robert G. Barrows, and David G. Vanderstel. The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1994.
"Hilbert Circle Theatre." Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Accessed January 27, 2016. https://www.indianapolissymphony.org/about/hilbert-circle-theatre.
Extent
2.4 Cubic Feet (1 manuscript box, 4 medium oversize boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged alphabetically by theater and then chronologically.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing completed 2016/02/02 by Lauren Patton. EAD finding aid created 2016/02/02 by Lauren Patton. EAD finding aid revised 2024/04/04 by Brittany Kropf.
Creator
- Circle Theatre (Indianapolis, Ind.) (Organization)
- English Theatre (Indianapolis, Ind.) (Organization)
- Indiana Theatre Association (Organization)
- Lyric Theatre (Indianapolis, Ind.) (Organization)
- Title
- Indianapolis theaters collection
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
