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Central Jersey theaters are rich with history
By Anita Stratos
Central Jersey has long been a hub of cultural activity with no shortage of art galleries, plays, concerts and museums as well as festivals of all
 | | State Theatre, New Brunswick SCOTT PILLING staff |
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kinds. If you traveled back in time to the 1920s, you would see stylish, architecturally intriguing theaters popping up in many towns and drawing in celebrities, politicians and residents of every socioeconomic level. Although the 1960s and 1970s took a negative toll on many old theaters, today a good number are still in use and being carefully restored to their original grandeur.
The Strand in Lakewood is just such a success story. Its grand opening in 1922 saw the Strand entering the scene when Lakewood was in its heyday as a vacation destination for the rich and famous, including such notables as Grover Cleveland and John D. Rockefeller. Throughout the years, the theater itself attracted many famous names including Milton Berle, George Burns and Gracie Allen, Pearl Bailey, George Carlin and Don McLean.
Although the primary intention was to make the Strand a "tryout theater"where Broadway producers could test new productions before moving them to Broadway, films and vaudeville shows were also shown there.The theater's opening night featured the silent film "Peacock Alley" along with five vaudevillian acts, and within a week the theater hosted its first pre-Broadway performance,"The Devine Crook."
 | | Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank ERIC SUCAR staff |
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Even today, the Strand is considered one of the best acoustical theaters in the country; its acoustics were created to maximize the actors' own voices, since there were no microphones in 1922. In addition, its wellplanned interior has no pillars or uprights to obstruct the audience's view.
After over $4 million in renovations, this grand old building's Adamesque style and original colors of pale blue, green, ivory and gold leaf detailing have been restored by architect Mark Pavliv, who located the original drawings at Columbia University. He discovered tarred and paneled windows,walled-up stairwells, and examples of urns and detail work, all of which were painstakingly duplicated or repaired to match the original drawings.As a result, in 1982 the Strand was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
 | | The Strand, Lakewood CHRIS KELLY staff |
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In Red Bank, the Count Basie Theatre began its life with a flourish in 1926 as The Carlton Theater. During construction, the theater's name was changed several times; the original name put on the facade's peak was State Theater, and although it was removed, the "ST" is still visible today.
The public opening was called a "grand affair," attended by prominent politicians as well as stage and screen stars; the evening's features included the film "The Quarterback," Carlton's News Events, and a 10-piece orchestra. People in attendance also enjoyed the décor, which was reported by the Register as "a marvel of beauty, convenience and comfort - thousands of electric lights stud the ceilings and sidewalls."A large glass chandelier hung from the center of an "enormous domelike sunburst illuminated with myriad concealed lights"; during intermission, owner Walter Reade announced that admission for films and vaudeville would never exceed 75 cents, though musical comedies and special attractions could cost more.Two shows and 4,000 people later,The Carlton's opening night had already secured it a permanent spot on the Red Bank map.
Today the Count Basie Theatre is being restored with the rich colors that originally decorated its stunning architecture, described by CEO Numa Saisselin as "Italianate with Renaissance and Moorish themes."At 80 years old, the original vaudeville act curtain is still being used today. All 1,543 seats have been replaced with new, historically accurate ones, and a side panel has been painted and restored in the theater's original color scheme as an example of what's to come when the project is complete.
At its opening on December 1921, Reade's State Theatre (now the State Theatre) in New Brunswick was one of the "biggest, most lavish and modern in the country." With admission between 20 and 50 cents, openingnight audiences were treated to the silent film "White Oak"as well as five vaudeville acts, a nature film and a newsreel. It wasn't unusual to see the celebrities starring in the State's films attending their film's State Theatre premiere.
The building itself was considered a "class act" with its lavish décor and outstanding acoustics - today, the State Theatre is still considered a perfect auditorium.While state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems are being added, the new lighting fixtures in the lobbies and the theater itself are all historically accurate.The $3 million restoration project is restoring the splendor of the original theater with an emphasis on authenticity to such a degree that in some areas of the theater, 20 coats of paint were removed to find the original color. In addition, the original ornamental plaster and other decorative details were discovered and will once again grace this fine venue.
So the next time you attend a concert, play, or other performance in one of these theaters, take a moment to admire your gracious surroundings - you're witnessing the tangible ghosts of a bygone era.
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