Grandin Theatre
Artistically etched crystal glassware.
Historical biography by Nelson Harris:
The Grandin Theatre, Roanoke’s last remaining
historic movie house, opened on March 26, 1932,
with a sell-out gala sponsored by Roanoke’s Junior Woman’s Club. The 1,000-seat cinema, designed in a Spanish architectural style by Roanoke architect John Zink, included two faux balconies with star-lit backdrops as if portals to the night sky. Three griffons on each side lit the ceiling with diffused blue and amber lighting. The Grandin Theatre was a true movie palace and the first local theatre to show “talking pictures”. The Grandin Theatre closed as a cinema in 1976 and became home to Mill Mountain Theatre. For seven years, MMT provided live theatrical productions on the Grandin’s stage. In 1983, the Grandin transitioned back to a cinema showing mostly classical and art films, as well as hosting live performances by musicians including B.B. King, Ray Charles, and John Lee Hooker. By 1999, the theatre was struggling financially and ultimately closed. It re-opened in 2002 as the non-profit Grandin Theatre Foundation. Today, the Grandin serves a diverse audience with an expanded mission of providing the best in cinematic arts, while being a cultural and education venue for live performances, social gatherings, and civic engagement.
Artistically etched crystal glassware.
Historical biography by Nelson Harris:
The Grandin Theatre, Roanoke’s last remaining
historic movie house, opened on March 26, 1932,
with a sell-out gala sponsored by Roanoke’s Junior Woman’s Club. The 1,000-seat cinema, designed in a Spanish architectural style by Roanoke architect John Zink, included two faux balconies with star-lit backdrops as if portals to the night sky. Three griffons on each side lit the ceiling with diffused blue and amber lighting. The Grandin Theatre was a true movie palace and the first local theatre to show “talking pictures”. The Grandin Theatre closed as a cinema in 1976 and became home to Mill Mountain Theatre. For seven years, MMT provided live theatrical productions on the Grandin’s stage. In 1983, the Grandin transitioned back to a cinema showing mostly classical and art films, as well as hosting live performances by musicians including B.B. King, Ray Charles, and John Lee Hooker. By 1999, the theatre was struggling financially and ultimately closed. It re-opened in 2002 as the non-profit Grandin Theatre Foundation. Today, the Grandin serves a diverse audience with an expanded mission of providing the best in cinematic arts, while being a cultural and education venue for live performances, social gatherings, and civic engagement.
Artistically etched crystal glassware.
Historical biography by Nelson Harris:
The Grandin Theatre, Roanoke’s last remaining
historic movie house, opened on March 26, 1932,
with a sell-out gala sponsored by Roanoke’s Junior Woman’s Club. The 1,000-seat cinema, designed in a Spanish architectural style by Roanoke architect John Zink, included two faux balconies with star-lit backdrops as if portals to the night sky. Three griffons on each side lit the ceiling with diffused blue and amber lighting. The Grandin Theatre was a true movie palace and the first local theatre to show “talking pictures”. The Grandin Theatre closed as a cinema in 1976 and became home to Mill Mountain Theatre. For seven years, MMT provided live theatrical productions on the Grandin’s stage. In 1983, the Grandin transitioned back to a cinema showing mostly classical and art films, as well as hosting live performances by musicians including B.B. King, Ray Charles, and John Lee Hooker. By 1999, the theatre was struggling financially and ultimately closed. It re-opened in 2002 as the non-profit Grandin Theatre Foundation. Today, the Grandin serves a diverse audience with an expanded mission of providing the best in cinematic arts, while being a cultural and education venue for live performances, social gatherings, and civic engagement.