Bijou Theatre
Bijou Theatre A Main Street Landmark The 879-seat Bijou Theatre on Main Street was originally a house of worship before becoming a vaudeville and movie house. Around the turn of the century, the Social Methodist House was moved a block to 273 Main Street to make way for the new post office. In 1912, space […]
Stadium Theatre
stadium theatre when the lights came back on In the days before television when textile employment was still booming, it was hard to find a spot to stand on downtown Woonsocket sidewalks in front of a theater on a Saturday night. Now only one theater remains. The Stadium Theatre was built in 1926 and is […]
Laurier Theatre
Laurier Theatre Always a good show The Social neighborhood had its Laurier Theatre at 17 Cumberland Street, named for the Canadian Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier. Ads for the Laurier’s second-run and B-movie fare in 1944 bore the slogan, “Always a Good Show”. Those shows sometimes included a breath of home for Woonsocket’s many Canadian […]
Lynch’s Theatre / Rialto Theatre
lynch’s theatre / rialto theatre from mill to movies On September 11, 1908, Lynch’s Theatre was opened at 41 Main Street. This was a major theater in downtown Woonsocket with 577 orchestra seats and 223 seats in the balcony. The building was originally erected as part of the Harris Woolen Company. After the Harris firm […]
Strand Theatre / Olympia Theatre
Strand Theatre / Olympia Theatre Fire at the Matinee This was a major theater at 40 Main Street in downtown Woonsocket. The 875-seat theater opened around 1850 as the Music Hall Theatre. It later became Nickel Theatre and in 1900 it was renamed the Strand Theatre. On January 1, 1926, it was damaged in a […]
Opera House (Park Theatre)
The Woonsocket opera House(Park Theatre) The story of Woonsocket’s Grand Theater The Woonsocket Opera House Company was organized under a charter granted in June 1887 to a group of Woonsocket businessmen. The company was authorized to expand $100,000 with which to build an entertainment center. Members of this company were Edwin B. Miller, president; F.L. […]