Albany Civic Theater
The Albany Civic Theater is one of the most historic venues in all of Oregon. The theater has been around since 1951, and it’s staging live productions again. It’s not just about the stage performances at this theater. It has been around for over 60 years, and it continues to be an important part of downtown profits today with its diverse programming that includes comedies to dramas and musicals throughout every season.
When the Ilium Players of Troy united with other Albany Dramatic Group to form a new theater company, they needed something rapid and temporary. Marion Karczmar directed Blithe Spirit just nine months later in February 1955 at their first organizational meeting after finding out about this empty space on Lodge Street from Malcolm Atterbury, who had closed his professional venue The Playhouse not too long before closure due solely as he said, “for personal reasons.”
In 1957, the second-floor space at 115 Beaver Street was transformed into a theater for 125 seats after months of work. This success prompted then-President Jean Hoyt to contact City Hall with the idea that would save ACT from destruction: She suggested they take up residence in one of the old firehouses on Second Avenue instead.
Louis Urbano built the stage, while Mo Dumas had a raked concrete floor installed. The seats came from an old abandoned Paramount Theater, and upstairs became dressing rooms makeup area wardrobe for actors with space to set up lights in between each seat-box office on ground level existed too. A coal bin served as their prop room where they stored all sorts of things like scenery models or even fake snow machines if need be – because this was Albany afterall; however, it also functioned well enough during intermission when patrons were able to buy hot food at
The historical Civic Theater is located in the heart of downtown Albany, just steps away from some delicious restaurants and refreshing cocktails. Get your friends together for an evening show while enjoying food to share after each performance. Take a break from the hustle and bustles of downtown Albany with some delicious food or refreshing ice-cold beer. Located just off Washington Avenue, this historic theater is also near many deluxe restaurants where you can enjoy your conversation about what happened in tonight’s show while waiting for them to bring out more dishes.
The mission of the Albany Civic Theater is to provide education and training in acting, directing, writing, speech, staging, producing, reviewing, and other aspects of dramatic arts. They aim at encouraging community interest through sponsorship by plays, lectures publications, workshops, study groups, drama libraries as well as related activities.