GREENSBORO — Billed as “The Showplace of the Carolinas,” the Carolina Theater opened its doors on Halloween night, 1927. In cultured metropolitan cities around the country, theaters of opulent design were commonplace.
It was the Roaring ’20s — the era of “moving pictures” and a time when jazz music gained worldwide popularity. Like the elegant, grandiose venues and showhouses of New York, Chicago and Washington, D.C., the Carolina Theater in downtown Greensboro was much of the same, with smartly dressed ushers guiding guests into the auditorium reminiscent of a Greek amphitheater.
In 1928, as vaudeville entertainment was in its twilight, the Carolina Theater became the first venue in the state to install Vitaphone speakers, which drew hordes of patrons dazzled by films synchronized with sound — or “talkies,” to use the vernacular of the day.
Since its grand opening nearly a century ago, the Carolina Theater has endured, surviving the Great Depression, a growing population moving away from a declining downtown and a destructive fire in 1981. Still, through community efforts from the United Arts Council, its board of directors and myriad donors devoted to having an artistic and cultural foundation in Greensboro, the “Showplace of the Carolinas” remains intact and has evolved while maintaining its luring aesthetic.
Throughout its near-centurion history, the theater’s stage has welcomed nationally touring musicians from Robert Earl Keen to Emmylou Harris and hosted productions of numerous plays and orchestral performances. Actors and drama enthusiasts from the community produce, direct and act in plays and musicals while inviting Greensboro’s youth to take part. Students of UNCG’s jazz program perform there regularly, and its themed film screenings featuring classics from Alfred Hitchcock’s finest and “The Naked Gun” to children’s movies and seasonal favorites (“Christmas Vacation” and “Home Alone” are now playing) draw large crowds.
The Carolina Theater, however, is a nonprofit. And while a major source of its revenue comes from renting out its spaces — including the 2013 addition of The Crown, which hosts concerts, cinema, plays and private events — the organization depends primarily on donors, sponsorships, board members and fundraisers to maintain growth and solvency.
“We have a goal this year of 75% of our revenue coming from programming and rentals,” said executive director Allie Arpajian. “That is a lower percentage than what it was before because we’re trying to really up our development.”
Arpajian was brought on as the theater’s new executive director earlier this year.
“My big thing right now is finding our niche,” she said. “I certainly want to lean into more educational aspects, and best practices for theaters and historic nonprofit theaters, like ourselves, all point back to education and building the next audience space.”
While the Carolina Theater presents concerts, films and performances of all kinds, Arpajian recognizes both hurdles and opportunities.
“I would love to see more educational opportunities,” she said. “So many people desperately want something for kids, like a summer camp or drama camp. … There’s a need for a pipeline to a younger demographic. We want to get people off of the couch and bring them in for something that’s a little bit more engaging and community-focused.”
In Greensboro, the Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts is the city’s main draw for Broadway productions and higher-end musical acts. Smaller music venues like the Flat Iron are unique for their ability to bring in regional indie bands.
The Carolina Theater, meanwhile, boasts not only the history, ornate décor and space, but it also serves as a centerpiece of art and culture in the gate city. Under Arpajian’s direction, its future looks as bright as it once did almost 100 years ago.
