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Normal Theater
Location	209 North St., Normal, Illinois
Coordinates	40°30′44″N 88°59′19″W
Built	1937
Architectural style	Art Moderne
Added to NRHP	July 25, 1997

The Normal Theater is a cinema located in the downtown area Normal, Illinois, also known as "Uptown Normal". It is best known for it's historical impact on the town of Normal, being the oldest working theater in Normal. Openned in 1937, Normal Theater was a main attraction in the "Uptown Normal" district. Normal Theater opened to public November of 1937, selling tickets at 25 and 10 cents. For Depression-era moviegoers, the theater’s Art Moderne style of architecture offered hope of better days to come. It wasn't the movies that played but the whole experience Normal Theater gave when people came to watch a movie that made the theater so historic. Surrounded by the variety of shops and restaurants in downtown Normal, the atmosphere contributed to the experience. Due to lack of customers in its later years, the theater was forced to close its doors in the early 1990s. Follow the short closure in the 1990s, Normal Theater was bought and restored by the town of Normal in 1991. Its grand reopening was in October of 1994. On July 25, 1997, the building was put on the National Register of Historic Places. The historic building now shows classic, foreign, and independent films not often seen in Central Illinois. The theater has also always been used for more than just movies, even during its prosperous commercial years. It served as a venue for community meetings, children’s Christmas parties, and various public and private events.

Design

The Normal Theater has an Art Moderne theme to the building. The exterior was said to be of the "newest design" with having nearly all the light come from neon tubing. The exterior color scheme is tan stucco, black glass, and “Chinese red". As like most old theaters, it has its box office on the outside of the build. At night, the whole theater is lit and can be recognized from blocks away. On the inside the theater is split into two main sections. The front section which is closest to the screen, and the balcony which is the further back area of seating. It has two main entrances on both sides of the balcony. Since it is an older theater, it is fairly compact, and was meant to fit many people into one theater. Back in the day it was able to hold up to 620 seat, but now with building restrictions it is only allowed to hold around 350. So it can still hold a large amount of people. The interior theater is lit up by antique lights along the walls of the theater. Then for design and visual appeal, the ceiling was given a soothing blue and red lighting. When you walk in, you are able to tell it is an older theater, but with the restoration it is in pristine condition.

History

Grand Opening

Normal Theater opened to public November of 1937, selling tickets at 25 and 10 cents. For Depression-era moviegoers, the theater’s Art Moderne style of architecture offered hope of better days to come. It wasn't the movies that played but the whole experience Normal Theater gave when people came to watch a movie that made the theater so historic. Surrounded by the variety of shops and restaurants in downtown Normal, the atmosphere contributed to the experience. The grande opening featured a musical Double or Nothing, starring Bing Crosby and Martha Raye. Unlike the big theaters, Normal was more known for playing B pictures, especially westerns and musicals. They didn't have the large box office movies that would be expected at a theater, but instead played the more affordable second-run films. Which means, Normal Theater didn't get much of the spotlight that much of the larger movies brought. However, Normal Theater still thrived in "Uptown Normal", playing movies all days of the week.

Golden Years(1940s-1950s)

During the theaters "Golden Years", each month brought on a whole new marketing strategy. It was the theaters most active time and its most prosperous. The theater held theme weeks, special matinee programs and Double bills. Some of the movies shown were the following: early wartime Hope-Lamour comedy Caught in the Draft, Man Made Monster with Lon Chaney Jr, the Warner Brothers drama Singapore Woman, and much more. The theater has also always been used for more than just movies, even during its prosperous commercial years. It served as a venue for community meetings, children’s Christmas parties, and various public and private events. With all the extra events though, they made sure the were first and foremost a "shrine to cinema." The theater was filled with feature length films, high-adventure serials, comedy shorts, newsreels, cartoons, and more.

Closure(1970s-1990s)

In December of 1974, the Springfield, Illinois-based chain Kerasotes Brothers took over the Normal and Irvin theaters from Publix Great States. On January 8, 1982, Kerasotes closes down Irvin theater and makes Normal a "dollar theater". Upon further problems, Normal Theater changes ownership again and George, one of the Kerasotes sibling, became sole owner of Normal Theater. During the same year, the theater was split into two cinemas (known as "twinning"), giving the balcony given its own screen. With moviegoers becoming more and more scares it was decided that ,at some points, all runs must come to an end. Following much neglect, the growing old theater was forced to close down in May of 1991. From the lack of customers, the theater could no longer support itself. George Kerasotes said during an interview with The Pantagraph, “The reason we closed it is that nobody went to it.”

Rebirth(1990s-Present Day)

Coming to the rescue, the town of Normal bought the theater the follow year. Deciding to restore the theater, about $1 million of federal grants, donations, and tax dollars was needed. Nearly one fifth of the total cost coming from Normal tax dollars. After the extensive restoration process, the theater is now what it is today. It still has the Art Moderne look that really defined the theater so long ago. The historic building now shows classic, foreign, and independent films not often seen in Central Illinois. The movies shown at the theater are movies that aren't shown in theaters anymore, which is part of the reason Normal Theater is so unique. The theater still focuses on giving the moviegoer the same experience you'd had if you were to go there when it just opened. Still the theater is also used for more than just a cinema. For example, it is rented out to Illinois State University for classes to be taught. The theater, however, still shows movies nightly for those who want to enjoy classics on a big screen. .

Timeline of Notable Moments

• November 19, 1937: Grand opening of Normal Theater (Opening show:Double or Nothing)
• December 15, 1974: Kerasotes Brothers buys Normal Theater from Publix Great States
• January 8, 1982: Normal Theater becomes a discount theater —all tickets $1.
• May 16, 1991: Normal Theater closes its doors as a commercial theater
• November 1991: Town of Normal buys Normal Theater and staters million dollar restoration
• October 7, 1994: Grand reopening is held and the theater is fully restored.
• November 19, 1996: Beyond Normal Films (BNF), a non-profit volunteer organization, partners with Normal Theater. A partnership that still last today.
• July 25, 1997: The Normal Theater is officially added to National Register of Historical Places
• July 11, 2013: First movie played on the DCP-4K Digital Projection System.

See also

• Normal Theater Website
• National Register of Historical Places
• Movie theater

References

Notes