Fair Theatre
Description
The Fair Theatre originally opened as a silent movie house in 1925. Since its renovation in 1999 it has become the jewel in the crown of Downtown Plainview The Fair Theatre originally opened as a silent movie house in 1925. Since that time, it has undergone many a transformation: From a popular movie house, to a vaudeville showcase, to an empty shuttered building, to the jewel in the crown of downtown Plainview.
The Plainview City Council saw the possibilities, as well as the feasibility of having a theater in the historic downtown area. In an effort to promote tourism and recapture a bit of historic grandeur reminiscent of downtown’s glory days, the City of Plainview purchased the building in 1994 with hotel / motel taxes. Those tax funds, which are based on taxable revenues of local lodging establishments, are restricted and can only be used for certain tourism and promotional purposes.
After the purchase, the building underwent a $200,000 restoration project. Various fundraisers, private donations, and grants helped to pay for stage curtains, lighting systems, sound systems, central heat and air, and other necessities.
Though the restoration took about 18 months, the glitter and glow of the theatre’s present persona seems as if it has always been there. The theatre stands three stories tall and sports a split balcony. The main auditorium and lobby were restored to their original grandeur. Ornate carvings and embossed ceiling tins highlight the building’s architectural features, especially around the rare twin balconies. A color scheme incorporating rich wood finishes, shades of antique gold and ivory, as well as carpets and tapestries reminiscent of the 1920s complements the building’s character and ambience.
The Fair Theatre was reopened in October 1999. It stands today only because of countless helping hands. Its grand reopening was a celebration of the persistence, hard work, and inventiveness of Plainview citizens and community leaders. The Fair has since re-established itself in the cultural fabric of Plainview. The theater seats 422 on the main floor and another 112 upstairs and offers a venue for plays, musicals, and symphonic performances, as well as a place to hold business meetings and seminars. The emphasis is that the building be used to its potential and to benefit the local community.
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RECENT FACEBOOK POSTS
facebook.comFair Summer Movie Program The Lego Batman Movie Wednesday July 12th 10:00 a.m. $2/adult $1/child Concessions available
The Comanche with Blue Eyes The Story of Frontier Captive Cynthia Ann Parker Thursday, July 20th 7:00 p.m. $10/per person Everyone is welcome!
Fair Summer Movie Program The Lego Batman Movie Wednesday July 12th 10:00 a.m. $2/adult $1/child Concessions available In the irreverent spirit of fun that made The LEGO Movie a worldwide phenomenon, the self described leading man of that ensemble LEGO Batman stars in his own big screen adventure. But there are big changes brewing in Gotham, and if he wants to save the city from The Joker's hostile takeover, Batman may have to drop the lone vigilante thing, try to work with others and maybe, just maybe, learn to lighten up.
Fair Summer Movie Program Inside Out Wednesday July 5th 10:00 a.m. $2/adult $1/child Concessions available
Fair Summer Movie Program Inside Out Wednesday July 5th 10:00 a.m. $2/adult $1/child Concessions available Emotions run wild in the mind of a young girl who is uprooted from her peaceful life in the Midwest and forced to move to San Francisco. Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness each have their own ideas about how she should handle her new surroundings.
Fair Summer Movie Program Finding Dory DOUBLE FEATURE!!! Wednesday June 28th 10:00 a.m. & 6:30 p.m. $2/adult $1/child Concessions available
Fair Summer Movie Program Finding Dory DOUBLE FEATURE! Wednesday June 28th 10:00 a.m. & 6:30 p.m. $2/adult $1/child Concessions available Amnesiac blue tang Dory searches for her long-lost parents with the help of pals Nemo and Marlin. She eventually heads for California and the Monterey Marine Life Institute, evading predators along the way as she hopes to find a place she can call home
Fair Summer Movie Program Moana Wednesday June 21st 10:00 a.m. $2/adult $1/child Concessions available
Fair Summer Movie Program Moana Wednesday June 21st 10:00 a.m. $2/adult $1/child Concessions available From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes “Moana,” a sweeping, CG-animated feature film about an adventurous teenager who is inspired to leave the safety and security of her island on a daring journey to save her people. Inexplicably drawn to the ocean, Moana (voice of Auliʻi Cravalho) convinces the mighty demigod Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson) to join her mission, and he reluctantly helps her become a wayfinder like her ancestors who sailed before her. Together, they voyage across the open ocean on an action-packed adventure, encountering enormous monsters and impossible odds, and along the way, Moana fulfills her quest and discovers the one thing she’s always sought: her own identity.
This Saturday - June 17th!
Shout Out to the Plainview Class of '67 on their 50th Reunion - great job on decorating the Fair ... and thanks for the cup! #classreunion #phsclassof67 #fairtheater #plainviewtx
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