Lincoln Theatre is a theatre in Washington, D.C. located at 1215 U Street, next to Ben's Chili Bowl. The theater, located on "Washington's Black Broadway", served the city's African American community when segregation kept them out of other venues. The Lincoln Theatre included a luxurious movie house and ballroom, and hosted popular jazz and big band performers such as Duke Ellington. The theatre closed after the 1968 riots. It was restored and reopened in 1994, and hosts a variety of performances and events. The U Street Metro station is located across the street from Lincoln Theater.
History
Construction of Lincoln Theatre began in the summer of 1921, and it opened in 1922.[1] The Lincoln Theatre served the city's African American community. The theatre was designed by Reginald Geare, in collaboration with Harry M. Crandall, a local theater operator.[2]
In 1927, the Lincoln Theatre was sold to A.E. Lichtman, who made it into a luxurious movie house, and added a ballroom.[3] The theatre was wired for sound in 1928.[1] The ballroom, known as Lincoln Colonnade, and the theatre were known as the center of "Washington's Black Broadway".[3] Performers at Lincoln Theatre have included Duke Ellington, Pearl Bailey, Louis Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, Ella Fitzgerald, Cab Calloway, Billie Holliday, and Sarah Vaughn.[4]
In 1952, a television projection sytem was installed at Lincoln Theatre.[1] The movie house televised boxing fights on many occassions, such as the Sugar Ray Robinson-Joey Maxim bout on June 25, 1952.[1]
The Lincoln Theatre struggled financially after desegregation opened other movie theaters to African-Americans beginning in 1953.[5] In the late 1950s, the Colonnade was demolished.[5] The theatre fell into disrepair after the 1968 riots and closed in 1983.[6]
Restoration
The Lincoln Theatre was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.[7] In 1993, the theatre was restored by the U Street Theatre Foundation, with $9 million of aid from the District of Columbia government.[8] The restoration work was done by the design firm, Leo A Daly.[9] A "sneak preview" of the renovated theatre was held on September 16, 1993 for D.C. Councilmember Frank Smith, Mayor Sharon Pratt Kelly, and 1,000 attendees.[10] The theatre officially reopened on February 4, 1994 with a performance of Barry Scott's Ain't Got Long to Stay Here, which was about the life of Martin Luther King, Jr..[11] In March 1995, Lincoln Theatre hosted a play, Where Eagles Fly, written by local playwright Carole Mumin.[12] The play told the story of a local elderly woman who fought the Shaw Urban Redevelopment Project that targeted the Shaw neighborhood for demolition, and sought to preserve the neighborhood and its history.[12]
The 1,250-seat[13] theatre has hosted theatrical and musical shows, leased space to community groups and for events,[14] and hosted political events such as the mayor's State of the District address.[15] Jazz performances in recent years have included Cassandra Wilson, Quincy Jones, Chuck Brown, and Wynton Marsalis.[16] In 2005, the annual Duke Ellington Jazz Festival was inaugurated and hosted performances.[17] Others that have performed at the Lincoln Theatre include Damien Rice,[18] and comedian Dick Gregory.[19] Lincoln Theatre has also been a venue for Filmfest DC.[20]
The theatre has stuggled financially, and has received $500,000 of aid annually for the past five years from the District government.[14] The theatre director, Janice Hill, has expressed concerns that the theatre may have to shut down due to lack of funds.[14] On January 11, 2007, the District government provided $200,000 to the theatre.[21] Councilmember Jim Graham also suggested adding an annual line item to the city's budget to provide the theatre with $500,000 each year.[21]
References
- ^ a b c d Headley, Robert K. (1999). Motion Picture Exhibition in Washington, D.C. - Illustrated History of Parlors, Palaces, and Multiplexes in the Metropolitan Area, 1894-1997. McFarland & Company, Inc.
- ^ "Greater U Street Historic District". National Park Service.
- ^ a b Savage, Beth L. (1994). African American Historic Places. Wiley.
- ^ "Lincoln Theatre". Cultural Tourism DC.
- ^ a b Roberts, Roxanne (February 5, 1994). "The New Jewel of U Street;Lincoln Theatre's Gala Return". The Washington Post.
- ^ Becker, Ralph E. (1990). Miracle on the Potomac. Bartleby Press.
- ^ "National Register Information System (NRIS)". National Park Service.
- ^ "Lost Jazz Shrines". Smithsonian Institution.
- ^ "Lincoln Theatre". Leo A. Daly.
- ^ Mills, David (September 17, 1993). "A Right Turn on U Street;Mayor & Co. Get a Sneak Peek at Renovated Lincoln Theatre". The Washington Post.
- ^ Cooper, Jeanne (February 5, 1994). "Theater;A Musical Not Fit For King". The Washington Post.
- ^ a b Wheeler, Linda (March 10, 1995). "A Neighborhood Takes Center Stage; Shaw Playwright Brings Troubled NW Area's Rich History to Life at the Lincoln". The Washington Post.
- ^ "Lincoln Theatre". The Washington Post.
- ^ a b c Schwartzman, Paul (January 9, 2007). "Storied Stage Could Go Dark; U Street Venue on Brink of Going Broke, Director Says". The Washington Post.
- ^ Weiss, Eric (March 24, 2005). "Of Donors and Dirty Looks". The Washington Post.
- ^ "U-Street". Duke Ellington Jazz Festival.
- ^ "Duke Ellington Jazz Festival".
- ^ "Music". The Washington Post. December 18, 2006.
- ^ Fears, Darryl (December 2, 2006). "The Word That Is the Very Definition of Unspeakable; Black Entertainer Endorses Moratorium on Slur". The Washington Post.
- ^ "At Festival, an Inside Look at 'Insider'". The Washington Post. April 8, 2005.
- ^ a b Alexander, Keith L. (January 12, 2007). "City's Grant of $200,000 a 'Good Band-Aid,' Official Says". The Washington Post.
External links
- Lincoln Theatre (official site)