How about stepping back in time to December 4 1929? Imagine the grand opening of the St. George Theatre right here in Staten Island New York City.
The St. George Theatre stands as a testament to entertainment history. It is a performing arts venue a picture palace and an office complex all rolled into one.
Solomon Brill a theater operator envisioned a show house to rival Manhattan’s cinema palaces. He promised top-of-the-line vaudeville for just 75 cents a ticket. The construction of the St. George Theatre began in August 1928. It cost 2 million dollars. 500000 dollars alone were for the theater itself.
Eugene De Rosa served as the main architect. He was assisted by James Whitford. Whitford was known as the dean of Staten Island architects. Nestor Castro designed the ornate interior. He blended Spanish and Italian Baroque styles. The St. George Theatre quickly outshone its competitors. It even surpassed Manhattan’s Capitol Theater on Broadway.
Brill sold the St. George Theatre within three years to William Fox. Fox was the namesake of Fox Television Stations and 21st Century Fox.
Fabian Theatres owned and operated the St. George Theatre as its flagship on Staten Island. This lasted through the 1940s 1950s and 1960s. If you visit the men’s room on the main level you are standing in what was the district office for Fabian Theatres in 1965.
In the late 1960s the Fabian chain broke up. The St. George Theatre was then operated by Fabian’s former general manager until 1975. Victoria Theatres then leased the theater. Their plan was to return it to its roots. They wanted to integrate live stage shows and concerts with film. The St. George stage was used as a presentation stage for the first time since the 1950s.
Though Victoria Theatres only operated the St. George for about a year they hosted diverse music acts. Sly Stone Chaka Kahn and Lester Flatt all graced the stage.
In 1978 the St. George Theatre ended its run as a movie house. Several entrepreneurs tried to revive it as a dinner theater a nightclub and an antiques showroom. None succeeded. In the mid 90s-early 00s local dance studios rented the space for recitals.
Finally Rosemary Cappozalo along with her daughters Luanne Sorrentino and Doreen Cugno stepped in. In 2004 they formed a not-for-profit organization to save the historic St. George Theatre. Since its reopening in June 2004 over 1000 events have taken place here.
The St. George Theatre boasts near-perfect acoustics. Performers often remark on the theater’s beautiful sound. It is possible to hold a conversation with someone in the upper balcony six stories away without raising your voice.
The first movie shown here was So This Is College in 1929. Famous performers such as Al Jolson Kate Smith and Guy Lombardo have graced this stage.
Ringo Starr Tony Bennett Judy Collins and Cyndi Lauper are just a few of the many musicians who have performed here. Top comics like Jerry Seinfeld Kevin James and Rosie O’Donnell have also appeared.
The finale of the 2003 film School of Rock was filmed at the St. George Theatre. The television show Gossip Girl also filmed scenes here in 2008. Steven Spielberg’s Smash used the theater for filming in 2012.
The St. George Theatre stands as a symbol of Staten Island’s vibrant arts scene. It is a place where memories are made and where the community comes together to celebrate the magic of live performance.