The Palace Theater is a movie theatre in downtown

Hilo, Hawai'i Hilo () is a census-designated place (CDP) and the largest settlement in Hawaii County, Hawaii, Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States, which encompasses the Hawaii (island), Island of Hawaii. The population was 44,186 according to the 2020 United ...

in the

United States of America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...

. Built in 1925, the theater is one of the more prominent public buildings constructed in Hilo in the early 20th century. Architects Davis & Fishbourne designed the theater in the Beaux-Arts style. The two-story building has five bays on its front facade; a metal marquee divides the two stories. The three central bays feature broken

pediment Pediments are gables, usually of a triangular shape. Pediments are placed above the horizontal structure of the lintel, or entablature, if supported by columns. Pediments can contain an overdoor and are usually topped by hood moulds. A pedim ...

s and decorative urns above the second-floor windows. A

parapet A parapet is a barrier that is an extension of the wall at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony, walkway or other structure. The word comes ultimately from the Italian ''parapetto'' (''parare'' 'to cover/defend' and ''petto'' 'chest/breast'). ...

with a balustrade runs along the top of the building. . After the original theater closed, the Palace reopened in 1998 as an

arthouse An art film (or arthouse film) is typically an independent film, aimed at a niche market rather than a mass market audience. It is "intended to be a serious, artistic work, often experimental and not designed for mass appeal", "made primarily ...

. The theater was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

on May 11, 1993. The Palace Theater features a restored lobby with a cafe serving refreshments during movie showings, concerts and theatrical performances. The theater itself features steeply banked amphitheater seating in three tiers, and a wonderful decorative proscenium frames the stage. A large Robert Morton pipe organ is in the auditorium. Much of it is original to the Palace in 1925, but the organ was moved to the Hilo Theatre in 1940, which was destroyed by the 1960 tsunami. The surviving pipework was then purchased by Roger Angell and installed in his family home in Honolulu. He eventually donated the organ back to the Palace, and it has been expanded with portions of the pipe organ from the demolished Waikiki Theatre in Honolulu.; and personal information. The Palace is a favorite venue for performers and bands, with concerts regularly scheduled. Every Spring a local variety show fund-raiser features local talent, and each Fall a full theatrical musical production is staged for serial performances over the course of a month. Independent films are a consistent draw. Special events are staged as well, allowing the public to see and use the theater for many events outside of the typical use as a movie theater.

References

External links

Official site
1925 establishments in Hawaii Cinemas and movie theaters in Hawaii Theatres in Hawaii Theatres on the National Register of Historic Places in Hawaii Buildings and structures in Hilo, Hawaii Neoclassical architecture in Hawaii National Register of Historic Places in Hawaii County, Hawaii Public venues with a theatre organ Theatres completed in 1925 {{Hawaii-stub

See also

References

External links