NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — The historic Richey Suncoast Theatre is celebrating its 100th anniversary, marking a century of entertaining audiences while surviving changing entertainment trends and periods when it nearly closed for good.
The theater first opened its doors in 1926 with a screening of the silent film The New Klondike, starring silent film actor Thomas Meighan. The theater was originally named in Meighan's honor. He was the "George Clooney" of his day.
"If you know the Paramount logo with the stars above it, it has 22 stars," said the theatre's creative director, Jess Glass. "He was one of those stars."
Like many historic theaters across the country, the venue struggled through the 1950s and 1960s, opening and closing multiple times as audiences shifted away from downtown movie houses.
"In the '50s and '60s it was open and closed," Glass said. "Then in 1972 a group of locals got together, and they raised $12,000 to buy the building and the land, and Richey Suncoast Theatre was born."
More than 50 years later, that nonprofit organization continues to operate the theater, which has evolved into a community arts venue offering live music, comedy performances, children's programming and summer camps in addition to movies.
"It's the heart of New Port Richey," Glass said. "Not only with theatre. But we have live music. We have comedy nights. We have summer camps, and kid shows."
Supporters say the theater also plays an important role in downtown New Port Richey's economy by drawing visitors who often dine, shop and spend time at nearby businesses before and after performances.
The building has undergone several upgrades over the years, including the recent installation of a solar energy system. However, after a century of use, supporters say the historic structure still requires significant restoration and maintenance.
"We would love to see the theatre go back to what it looked like a hundred years ago, where the windows could be restored to the front," Glass said. "We could get some awnings and things like that."
Repairs to the theater's stucco facade are already underway as volunteers and supporters prepare the landmark for its next century.
Staff with the non-profit says renovations will cost at least $500,000.
To celebrate the 100th anniversary, the theater screened The New Klondike once again, with tickets priced at just 25 cents, matching the cost of admission a century ago.
"It's remarkable to think that over a hundred years, the amount of different people that have come through the doors for the same reason, to let the world stay outside and to come inside and be entertained," said box office manager Mike Worssell. "And that's fundamentally what it's all about."
For more information, go to https://www.richeysuncoasttheatre.com/
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