Royal Theater - Danville, Indiana
Posted by: 
Rupert2
N 39° 45.609 W 086° 31.427
16S E 540791 N 4401244
Royal Theater
59 S. Washington
"On The Square"
Danville, Indiana
Waymark Code: WM2G2K
Location: Indiana, United States
Date Posted: 10/28/2007
Views: 217
"It was standing room only, Wednesday, May 25, 1927, when the newly remodeled Royal Theater opened its doors to the citizens of Danville. It was not the town’s first theater but it was the most elaborate structure constructed for that purpose. The Republican stated that the building was nothing less than “…the last word in the art of theater-building.”
The Royal began its career as a one-story brick structure built just south of the alley on the east side of the square. Ed Caldwell who had operated a picture show in another building on the west side purchased the lot and had the old log structure, the last cabin on the square, torn down. Caldwell’s new Royal was the first building in town constructed solely for the purpose of showing movies.
The new Royal opened on October 28, 1914 with the picture “The Million Dollar Mystery.” In the newspaper announcement, Caldwell stated that “there will be offered for entertainment of the Royal patrons, only the best and highest class feature photoplays…. Its central location and ample facilities will always make the Royal the recognized home of high class photo drama in Danville.
In 1926, Thomas J. Barnett purchased the Royal. A native of England, his family settled in New Albany, where he grew up and was married. He became involved in working in the new field of motion pictures. He moved to Danville and began his career here in the room formerly occupied by Caldwell on the west side, and finally purchased the Royal building that Caldwell had erected on the east side. In 1926 he purchased the adjoining lots to the south of the Royal with plans to build a newer, larger, and grander theater. The old Royal building was blended into the new two-story structure which was designed in the Tudor Revival style.
The new Royal Theater Beautiful, as Caldwell titled it in his advertisement, opened with “Rookies,” starring Nash Dane and George Arthurs, as its first attraction. The new theater attracted hundreds of people who “were lost in amazement at the sumptuousness of their surroundings,” according to an article in the Republican. “For a show-place with a seating capacity of less than a thousand,” the reporter stated, “the Royal ranks first according to visiting theater men. Fame of its design and furnishings has so spread that people have driven miles just to see the new theater.”
The Republican gave a detailed description of this new “palace of amusement”: The old Royal building and the New Royal building combined, changed the skyline on the east side of the square as they were welded into one building with it’s beautiful English architecture.
The lobby is in the south side of the building, with plenty of room, the box office being to one side. The lobby floor is of red brick set in black mortar… French doors separate the lobby from the foyer which encircles the auditorium. Heavy draperies adorn the foyer, the floor of which is covered with heavy velvet. The whole is suggestive of the Egyptian.
The auditorium looks larger than it really is but this is because of the details, the English gothic arches, the French windows…. The walls of the lobby, foyer and the and the auditorium are a rough-textured finish now used in the finest theaters with beautiful results. To produce the required finish, a plastic paint which produces both texture and color-tone was used. After the paint was dry, colored glazing was applied. A deep buff was first used and then red and blue put on it patched and carefully blended with each other and with the buff. The beams are finished in a “bark” texture resembling the bark of a tree. The aisles of the auditorium are covered with rubber and the floors are of wood for warmth. The wood is laid on solid cement. The auditorium seats 600 and the chairs are “staggered.” That is, no chair is directly behind another, so every one has a clear vies of the screen… The draperies are red velour, trimmed in black and yellow, giving a peculiarly rich and impressive effect.” Another impressive feature was the new theater organ that gave musical accompaniment to the films. Powered by a five-horsepower motor, the electronically controlled instrument could duplicate eh sounds of a ten-piece orchestra plus special keys to imitate the sound of horses’ hoofs.
The new Royal opened in a blaze of electric lights, with 50 lights around the front canopy, 5 in the lobby, 15 in the foyer, 132 lights in the arches of the auditorium plus 30 in the chandeliers and 20 surrounding the stage
Today, nearly three-quarter of a century later, the Royal is being made Beautiful once more, Thomas Barnett’s dream is being restored, and new generation will be able to enjoy that moment that begins when the lights are dimmed and the screen is filled with magic."
Hendricks County Monthly Magazine
Ticket Price (local currency): 4.00 (listed in local currency)
Matinee Price (local currency): 2.00 (listed in local currency)
Number of Screen(s): 1
Concessions Available: yes
Web site: [Web Link]
Year Theater Opened: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
Must take a photo of the theater.
Please try to include yourself or gps in the picture.
Tell of your experience at the theater, if it is still a theater. If it is no longer a theater tell of an experience from the past at the theater, if this can be done.