The Carolina Theatres

[cityboi 76]

around 1926 Carolina Theatres were built in a number of the state's largest cities. Greensboro, Durham and Winston-Salem's Carolina theatres are intact. Charlotte's still exist but it has been gutted and not much of it is left. There is an ongoing effort to renovate it. Winston-Salem's is now called the Stevens Center. Today all theaters are being used as multi-purpose performing arts venues. The one in Greensboro is the largest with over 2,000 seats. It was the first public building in North Carolina to have air condition. Each theater is unique in exterior and interior design. All are beautiful ornate buildings. The Carolina Theatre in Greensboro had three balconies. The third one was for African-Americans during the time of Jim Crow laws. Black people could not enter the theater from the front. They had to use stairs on the outside of the building to get to the top balcony. That balcony has been permanently closed.

Carolina Theatre (Greensboro)

Carolina Theatre (Durham)

Stevens Center (Carolina Theatre Winston-Salem) It was the only one built in a high-rise.

Carolina Theatre (Charlotte)

Some smaller towns in North Carolina also had Carolina Theatres.

Here is the one in Hickory

Edited July 17, 2012 by cityboi

[cityboi 76]

since we are talking about theaters here is the Aycock Auditorium at UNC Greensboro. It was built in 1926, the same year the Carolina Theatre was built. The Aycock Auditorium has 2,200 seats.

During the 1920s and 30s cities had multiple downtown theaters

The Carolina Theatre wasn't the only downtown theater in Greensboro. Here is the National Theatre. It was torn down years ago

There was a third theater in downtown Greensboro. Its still there today but its no longer a theater. Its a night club called Allure (N Club)

Edited July 17, 2012 by cityboi

[DeaconJ 0]

Reynolds Auditorium, Winston-Salem...opened in 1924, 1898 seats. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._J._Reynolds_Memorial_Auditorium

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ambernk/2614757570/sizes/z/in/photostream/

[DeaconJ 0]

http://cinematreasures.org/