OUR HISTORY

First opened in 1914, the Colonial Theatre was designed by George I. Griffin. Original owner Benjamin Piscopo was from Venice, Italy, and the theatre featured a fire curtain depicting Venice as seen from the water. The theatre hosted a variety of stage productions and photoplays. By the early 1930s the Colonial had pivoted to show motion pictures. In 1983, the theatre was divided up into 5 separate movie screens. In August of 2002, the theatre closed after 87 years of operation.

The restoration of the Colonial began in March of 2016, and was completed in the Spring of 2021. 609 Main Street LLC was created to conduct the capital campaign for the renovation. The restoration of the Colonial began in March of 2016, and is scheduled to conclude in early 2021. The newly reopened Colonial Theatre has a seating capacity of 761, and plays host to a wide-range of performances, including music, theatre, comedy, and civic events. The Colonial Theatre is managed by Spectacle Live, and is home to the Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative, program of Belknap Mill.