{{Short description|Performing arts venue in Florida, US}} {{distinguish|text=Broadway Theatre (53rd Street) in New York City, once known as the Colony Theatre}} The '''Colony Theatre''' is a performing arts venue located on Lincoln Road in Miami, Florida. The theatre first opened as a Paramount Pictures movie house in 1935 with a capacity to sit 1,200 people. From the 1950s - 1990s, it functioned back and forth as a movie house and a live performance space.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Baca, Mandy.|url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/870987327|title=Discovering vintage Miami : a guide to the city's timeless shops, hotels, restaurants & more|isbn=978-1-4930-0745-5|oclc=870987327}}</ref> As of 2020, the Colony Theatre is a 417-seat performance venue<ref>{{Cite journal|date=1997|title=Successful Meetings|journal=Successful Meetings|volume=26|pages=77}}</ref> managed by South Florida theater company, Miami New Drama. It hosts music, dance, and theater performances as well as Miami New Drama's theatrical season.<ref>{{Cite web|title=COLONY THEATRE|url=https://www.colonymb.org/the-colony|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200716140623/https://www.colonymb.org/the-colony|url-status=usurped|archive-date=July 16, 2020|access-date=2020-07-16|website=colonytheatre|language=en}}</ref> thumb|The Colony Theatre in 2014
== History ==
=== Early years === Paramount Pictures built the Colony Theatre in the 1930s, an Art Deco movie house on Miami Beach's Lincoln Road.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Simundson|first=Lisa|title=Miami and the Florida Keys|publisher=Hunter Publishing, Incorporated|year=2001|isbn=9781556509131|location=United Kingdom|pages=128}}</ref> At the time, the theatre was known to many as the "Beauty Queen." The opening night of the movie theatre was said to be well attended, with guest appearances from movie stars such as Carole Lombard. Notable films that played at the movie house included ''Alfie'', ''The Sound of Music'', ''Doctor Zhivago'', and ''The Great Race''.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Baca, Mandy.|url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/870987327|title=Discovering vintage Miami : a guide to the city's timeless shops, hotels, restaurants & more|isbn=978-1-4930-0745-5|pages=49|oclc=870987327}}</ref>
==== 1950s ==== The theatre is transformed from a movie house into a live performance venue.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Baca, Mandy.|url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/870987327|title=Discovering vintage Miami : a guide to the city's timeless shops, hotels, restaurants & more|isbn=978-1-4930-0745-5|pages=50|oclc=870987327}}</ref>
==== 1960s ==== Architect, Morris Lapidus, remodels all of Lincoln Road in Miami Modern style of architecture, and the theatre goes back to being a movie house.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Friedman, Alice T.|url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/887189407|title=Merchandising Miami Beach : Morris Lapidus and the architecture of abundance.|date=2005|pages=1–38|oclc=887189407}}</ref>
==== 1970s ==== Samuel Kipnis purchases the theatre in 1971, and hosts the Greater Miami Educational Cultural Series, a non-profit organization that supplied films from his private library.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Baca, Mandy.|url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/870987327|title=Discovering vintage Miami : a guide to the city's timeless shops, hotels, restaurants & more|isbn=978-1-4930-0745-5|pages=50|oclc=870987327}}</ref>
==== 1980s ==== Miami City Ballet takes over operations of the Colony Theatre, turning it into a live performance space.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Baca, Mandy.|url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/870987327|title=Discovering vintage Miami : a guide to the city's timeless shops, hotels, restaurants & more|isbn=978-1-4930-0745-5|pages=51|oclc=870987327}}</ref>
=== Renovation and new management === In 2006, under the ownership of the City of Miami Beach, the Colony Theatre underwent a $6.5 million renovation to return it to its original Art Deco style and update stage and technical equipment such as lighting, rigging, and sound equipment. Under the city's ownership, the theatre was used as a rental space for live performances such as theatrical productions, music concerts, and dance recitals.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Baca, Mandy.|url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/870987327|title=Discovering vintage Miami : a guide to the city's timeless shops, hotels, restaurants & more|isbn=978-1-4930-0745-5|pages=51|oclc=870987327}}</ref> On October 1 of 2016, the City of Miami Beach announced that Miami New Drama, under the Artistic Direction of Michel Hausmann, was taking over operations of the Colony Theatre.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Joseph|first=Chris|date=2016-10-07|title=Miami New Drama Takes Over Historic Colony Theatre in Miami Beach|url=https://www.miaminewtimes.com/arts/miami-new-drama-takes-over-historic-colony-theatre-in-miami-beach-8824926|access-date=2020-07-16|website=Miami New Times}}</ref> Since then, the Colony Theatre was named the 2018 Miami New Times Best Theater for Drama,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Best Theater for Drama: Colony Theatre {{!}} Best of Miami® 2018: Your Key to the City|url=https://www.miaminewtimes.com/best-of/2018/arts-and-entertainment/best-theater-for-drama-10393126|access-date=2020-07-16|website=Miami New Times}}</ref> and Miami New Drama won two Knights Arts Challenge awards<ref>{{Cite web|last=LaVelle|first=Ciara|date=2017-12-04|title=Knight Foundation Announces 43 Arts Challenge Winners|url=https://www.miaminewtimes.com/arts/2018-knight-arts-challenge-winners-announced-9875214|access-date=2020-07-16|website=Miami New Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Loos|first=Ted|date=2017-12-05|title=Knight Foundation Helps Drive Miami Art Scene|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/05/arts/knight-foundation-miami-art-scene.html|access-date=2020-07-16|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> and a Knights New Works Miami award<ref>{{Cite web|author=BWW News Desk|title=Support From City Of Miami Beach And Major New Funding From Knight Foundation Position Miami New Drama As South Florida's Rising Premiere Regional Theater|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/miami/article/Support-From-City-Of-Miami-Beach-And-Major-New-Funding-From-Knight-Foundation-Position-Miami-New-Drama-As-South-Floridas-Rising-Premiere-Regional-Theater-20181211|access-date=2020-07-16|website=BroadwayWorld.com|language=en}}</ref> from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The Colony Theatre has also collaborated with national organizations such as Asolo Repertory Theatre<ref>{{Cite web|last=Joseph|first=Chris|date=2018-01-29|title=Chad Deity Deftly Puts Trump's America in the Camel Clutch|url=https://www.miaminewtimes.com/arts/review-the-elaborate-entrance-of-chad-deity-at-colony-theater-in-miami-10036852|access-date=2020-07-16|website=Miami New Times}}</ref> and Tectonic Theatre Project.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Album: Here There are Blueberries|url=https://www.tectonictheaterproject.org/?avada_portfolio=thealbum|access-date=2020-07-16|website=Tectonic Theater Project|language=en-US}}</ref>
== Management == As of 2020, Michel Hausmann is the artistic director of Miami New Drama, the resident theater company at the Colony Theatre. The managing director is Nicholas Richberg, the General Manager is Stefanie Anarumo, and the Director of Education is Vyana Preti. https://miaminewdrama.org/about/mind-team/
== References == {{Commons category}} {{reflist}}
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Category:Theatres in Florida Category:Miami Modern architecture Category:Art Deco architecture in Florida Category:Art Deco cinemas and movie theaters Category:Cinemas and movie theaters in Florida Category:Former cinemas and movie theaters in the United States Category:1935 establishments in Florida Category:Theatres completed in 1935