ALEXANDRA ROAT
preserving the paramount
by: Alexandra Roat
Nestled in the heart of downtown Burlington, North Carolina, the Paramount theater has withstood the test of time. Inside, a dark blue curtain, golden sconces, and velvet seats are all that remain from the small-town “golden age cinema” wave of the mid-1900s, while pieces of sets litter the modern day backstage area, which sees over 240 community events, performances, and plays per year, serving as a reminder of the community ties that have kept the theater running for 90 years.
“The Life of a Theater: The Paramount at 90”
The Paramount celebrates its 90th birthday on December 19 and to celebrate, David Wright, the managing director of the Paramount, planned a gala, with a documentary and multimedia performance, celebrating and highlighting the history of the theater. Along with a champagne toast and a guest "appearance" from the theater’s ghost, the show will consist of two parts, the first celebrating music from movies played in the theater from the early 1930s until the mid-1970s. The second act incorporates live performance in the telling of the theaters history, while interspersed with numbers performed on-stage in the last fifty years, ranging from “Camelot” to “Les Mis.” A slideshow of images of the theater through the decades will be playing on the walls. “We wanted a lot of elements,” Wright said. “It needs to be entertaining… and jog some memories.”
"Tip Top"
The Paramount Theater, originally named the Grand Theater, was constructed in 1928, costing $25,000. The owner, J.R. “Judge” Qualls, renamed the theater Paramount, in the fall of 1929, because he wanted it to be the “best” and the “tip-top” theater in Burlington. The theater was the first one to offer films with sound in the area, as sound systems were recent developments. The theater was stripped in January of 1940, and more seating options as well as a balcony were added to accommodate more theatergoers.
​
“There was room for about 800 people,” Wright said. “This was the theater’s golden age, with a beautiful lobby and decorations.” The only remaining pieces of this era in the theater are the metallic medallions decorating the ceiling.
​
The distinct metal “Paramount” sign perched on the outside of the theater was added in 1957, and remained the premiere location for films and cartoons for the next decade. Following the addition of larger, mainstream theaters to Alamance County, the Paramount shuffled through owners until “The Gallery Players” began leasing the space in 1977, when the movie screen was torn down and the stage was re-designed to support live performances. The theater was handed over to the city of Burlington in 1994.
​
For more history visit: https://www.thetimesnews.com/entertainmentlife/20181202/90-years-on-burlingtons-paramount-theater-history-continues-to-grow
The Theater Ghost
The two night, multimedia gala performance will be narrated by the theater’s resident ghost, Herschel, voiced by, Scott Ichenhower, an Alamance county actor and playwright. “I’m honored to play such a big role in this celebration,” Ichenhower said. “Herschel is a essential part of Paramount’s history.” Herschel will bring the audience up to speed with the theater’s past, beginning with its 1920s silent film origins, to the roots of “The Gallery Players,” a theater troupe who saved the theater from destruction in the 1970s. The troupe discovered Herschel after a series of “odd occurrences” transpired during performances and auditions in the 1980s, and any strange happenings since have been chalked up to “supernatural activity.”
“Here’s to 90 More Years”
1928
Theater Opens
1940
1945
1947
1977
1998
David Wright talks about the ghost of Paramount Theater, Herschel.
Images courtesy of The Paramount Theater
David Wright discusses the revival process of the theater that occurred in 1994.
As for the future of the Paramount, and for small-town theaters around the country, Wright is optimistic. “People are beginning to understand the importance of heritage and history,” he said. “North Carolina has a strong movement resurfacing that is preserving theater history.”
The town of Burlington was originally home to four theaters, three of which closed down in the seventies, while Alamance County currently houses three remaining “hometown theaters.” Out of the three, the Paramount is the only one that accommodates live theater performances.
After failing inspections in 1994, the town council motioned to have the building converted into a parking lot, rather than spending thousands of dollars to renovate the theater. However, Alamance county residents petitioned to save the last downtown movie house in the area and the county spent 1.8 million dollars to renovate the theater.
Wright grew up watching films from the 1950s and 1960s in the theater and transitioned into an employee during the theaters movie-exclusive days. Recently, he celebrated 15 years as the managing director of the theater. “There’s a desire to retain that heritage and those memories,” he said. “We’re hoping that future generations are making memories here today.”
​
By the Paramount’s hundred year anniversary, Wright hopes to have expanded the theater offerings into the community, by reaching out to the Elon University Musical Theater program and local children’s groups.
“Having an event like this helps to get the community involved,” said Wright. “It helps to rekindle memories, but also create new ones.”
Performances occur on December 19 and 20, beginning at 7:30 pm. Tickets cost $15 and can be purchased online through the town of Burlington’s website (https://www.burlingtonnc.gov/257/Ticket-Reservations) or at the box office.