Palace Theater Opens Doors for Connecticut Open House Day

Waterbury – The Palace Theater in Waterbury is opening its doors for an afternoon of historic experiences from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Connecticut Open House Day, Saturday, June 14.

Beginning at 11a.m., the Palace Theater Ambassadors, a specially trained group of engaging volunteers, will offer a free guided, historic tour of the theater that will end at approximately 12:15p.m. Along the tour, guests will learn about the venue’s extensive 90-year-history and architectural design, along with entertaining anecdotal information and backstage intrigue. Early registration for the tour is encouraged by calling the Box Office at 203-346-2000. Walk-ins are welcome, but the tour will be limited to the first 60 customers.

In addition to the tour, the Palace is also inviting the public to become a part of the performing art center’s upcoming 10th Anniversary History Exhibit by visiting between the hours of 11 a.m and 2p.m. to donate or lend the organization any Palace memorabilia they may have collected since the theater’s original opening in 1922 to the present day. Items such as playbills, movie and concert posters, ticket stubs, promotional items, artifacts, equipment (eg. projectors, concession machines, etc.) ephemera (eg. novelty promotional items, political rally or war bond materials, rock show  merchandise), and personal photos are all welcome for submission. To ensure that the items collected are returned to their owners, they will be asked to sign a temporary custody release form on the day of the collection.

Along with the memorabilia, the Palace will also have staff on hand to record oral histories from patrons and community members that have attended the theater over the past nine decades.  Interested parties are encouraged to stop in and share their personal Palace memories and experiences for inclusion in the exhibit, which is scheduled to debut at the Mattatuck Museum on November 22, 2014.  Of particular interest are stories reflecting the theater’s early years from 1920–1950, as well as and the rock era period from 1960-1987 when the theater was shuttered.

Connecticut Open House Day is an annual statewide event during which cultural organizations and tourism attractions throughout the state open their doors to Connecticut residents, inviting them to discover and rediscover Connecticut’s fascinating world of art, history, film and tourism. The unique one-day event is part of a broad state initiative that began in 2005. For more information, visit www.ctvisit.com.