Ritz Theatre (Haddon Township, New Jersey)
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The Ritz Theatre is an active live producing theatre company located in Haddon Township, New Jersey. It is home to the The Ritz Theatre Company (formerly Puttin' on the Ritz, Inc.) The company produces mainstage plays and musicals, children's theater, runs a summer theatre arts day camp and reaches out to its community with educational and entertaining programming.
Built in a Colonial Revival style, it was opened in 1927 as a vaudeville theatre and later became a movie cinema before devolving into an adult movie theater in the 1970s.
With the advent of VCRs, the theatre closed until 1985, when Puttin' on the Ritz, Inc began leasing it as its venue for live theater.
The group purchased the 466-seat theater in 2001, making it the permanent home of the ensemble.
In 2002 the Ritz was added to the New Jersey and National Register of Historic Places, ensuring the survival of the theater for years to come.
It is currently in the midst of renovation. To date, the roof has been replaced along with upgrading the electrical system and installing sprinklers. The lobby will be renovated with new carpeting and paint and work will begin on restoration of the front of the building and the classic marquee as well as the classical Greek interior murals.
