Lincoln Theatre (Washington, D.C.)

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Lincoln Theatre
Lincoln Theatre

Lincoln Theatre is a theatre in Washington, D.C. located at 1215 U Street, next to Ben's Chili Bowl. The theater, located on "Washington's Black Broadway", served the city's African American community when segregation kept them out of other venues. The Lincoln Theatre included a movie house and ballroom, and hosted jazz and big band performers such as Duke Ellington. The theatre closed after the 1968 race-related riots. It was restored and reopened in 1994, and hosts a variety of performances and events. The U Street Metro station, which opened in 1991, is located across the street from Lincoln Theater.

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[edit] History

Construction of Lincoln Theatre began in the summer of 1921, and it opened in 1922.[1] The Lincoln Theatre, which showed silent film and vaudeville, served the city's African American community. The theatre was designed by Reginald Geare, in collaboration with Harry Crandall, a local theater operator.[2]

In 1927, the Lincoln Theatre was sold to A.E. Lichtman, who decided to turn it into a luxurious movie house, and added a ballroom.[3] The theatre was wired for sound in 1928.[1] The ballroom, known as Lincoln Colonnade, and the theatre were known as the center of "Washington's Black Broadway".[3] Performers at Lincoln Theatre have included Duke Ellington, Pearl Bailey, Louis Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, Ella Fitzgerald, Cab Calloway, Billie Holliday, and Sarah Vaughn.[4] A television projection system was installed at Lincoln Theatre in 1952.[1] The movie house televised boxing fights on many occasions, such as the Sugar Ray Robinson-Joey Maxim bout on June 25, 1952.[1]

The Lincoln Theatre struggled financially after desegregation opened other movie theaters to African-Americans beginning in 1953.[5] In the late 1950s, the Colonnade was demolished.[5] The theatre fell into disrepair after the 1968 Washington, D.C. riots.[6] In 1978, the Lincoln Theatre was divided into two theaters, and was known as the Lincoln "Twins".[7] In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Lincoln Theater featured "All-Night Movie" shows on the weekend, attracting hundreds each weekend.[8] The Lincoln Theatre was sold to developer Jeffrey Cohen in 1983, who closed it for renovations.[8] The theatre was supposed to reopen later in 1983,[8] but remained boarded up for many years.

[edit] Restoration

The Lincoln Theatre was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.[9] In 1993, the theatre was restored by the U Street Theatre Foundation, with $9 million of aid from the District of Columbia government.[10] The restoration had been started in 1989 by developer Jeffrey N. Cohen, who was working on a controversial $250 million redevelopment plan, "Jackson Plaza", for the Shaw/U-Street area.[11] In 1990, Cohen ran into financial difficulties and filed for bankruptcy in 1991.[12] Restoration of the theater was taken over by the District government and the foundation.[13] The restoration work was done by the design firm, Leo A Daly.[14] The building has a brick exterior, and the interior features Victorian trim.[13]

A "sneak preview" of the renovated theatre was held on September 16, 1993 for D.C. Councilmember Frank Smith, Mayor Sharon Pratt Kelly, and 1,000 attendees.[15] The theatre officially reopened on February 4, 1994 with a performance of Barry Scott's Ain't Got Long to Stay Here, which was about the life of Martin Luther King, Jr..[16] In March 1995, Lincoln Theatre hosted a play, Where Eagles Fly, written by local playwright Carole Mumin.[17] The play told the story of a local elderly woman who fought the Shaw Urban Redevelopment Project that targeted the Shaw neighborhood for demolition, and sought to preserve the neighborhood and its history.[17]

The 1,250-seat[18] theatre has hosted theatrical and musical shows, leased space to community groups and for events,[19] and hosted political events such as the mayor's State of the District address.[20] Jazz performances in recent years have included Cassandra Wilson, Quincy Jones, Chuck Brown, and Wynton Marsalis.[21] In 2005, the annual Duke Ellington Jazz Festival was inaugurated and hosted performances.[22] Others that have performed at the Lincoln Theatre include Damien Rice,[23] and comedian Dick Gregory.[24] Lincoln Theatre has also been a venue for Filmfest DC.[25]

The theatre has stuggled financially, and has received $500,000 of aid annually for the past five years from the District government.[19] The theatre director, Janice Hill, has expressed concerns that the theatre may have to shut down due to lack of funds.[19] On January 11, 2007, the District government provided $200,000 to the theatre.[26] Councilmember Jim Graham also suggested adding an annual line item to the city's budget to provide the theatre with $500,000 each year.[26]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d Headley, Robert K. (1999). Motion Picture Exhibition in Washington, D.C. - Illustrated History of Parlors, Palaces, and Multiplexes in the Metropolitan Area, 1894-1997. McFarland & Company, Inc.. 
  2. ^ Greater U Street Historic District. National Park Service.
  3. ^ a b Savage, Beth L. (1994). African American Historic Places. Wiley. 
  4. ^ Lincoln Theatre. Cultural Tourism DC.
  5. ^ a b Roberts, Roxanne. "The New Jewel of U Street;Lincoln Theatre's Gala Return", The Washington Post, February 5, 1994.
  6. ^ Becker, Ralph E. (1990). Miracle on the Potomac. Bartleby Press. 
  7. ^ McQueen, Michel. "Action!;Escaping Summer Heat & Boredom at the Movies;An Escape From Summer Doldrums", The Washington Post, July 16, 1981.
  8. ^ a b c Sargent, Edward D.. "Small Merchants Feeling Squeezed In U Street NW Redevelopment", The Washington Post, August 18, 1983.
  9. ^ National Register Information System (NRIS). National Park Service.
  10. ^ Lost Jazz Shrines. Smithsonian Institution.
  11. ^ Dedman, Bill. "Shaw Group Files for Bankruptcy;Developer Cohen's Project Falters", The Washington Post, September 7, 1990.
  12. ^ Sanchez, Rene. "Street, New Street?;Eclectic Entrepreneurs Are Bringing Signs of Long-Awaited Rebirth to Historic Black Neighborhood", The Washington Post, April 11, 1993.
  13. ^ a b Wheeler, Linda. "Reopening Night in Sight;Restoration of Historic Lincoln Theatre Is Nearing Completion", The Washington Post, July 29, 1993.
  14. ^ Lincoln Theatre. Leo A. Daly.
  15. ^ Mills, David. "A Right Turn on U Street;Mayor & Co. Get a Sneak Peek at Renovated Lincoln Theatre", The Washington Post, September 17, 1993.
  16. ^ Cooper, Jeanne. "Theater;A Musical Not Fit For King", The Washington Post, February 5, 1994.
  17. ^ a b Wheeler, Linda. "A Neighborhood Takes Center Stage; Shaw Playwright Brings Troubled NW Area's Rich History to Life at the Lincoln", The Washington Post, March 10, 1995.
  18. ^ Lincoln Theatre. The Washington Post.
  19. ^ a b c Schwartzman, Paul. "Storied Stage Could Go Dark; U Street Venue on Brink of Going Broke, Director Says", The Washington Post, January 9, 2007.
  20. ^ Weiss, Eric. "Of Donors and Dirty Looks", The Washington Post, March 24, 2005.
  21. ^ U-Street. Duke Ellington Jazz Festival.
  22. ^ Duke Ellington Jazz Festival.
  23. ^ "Music", The Washington Post, December 18, 2006.
  24. ^ Fears, Darryl. "The Word That Is the Very Definition of Unspeakable; Black Entertainer Endorses Moratorium on Slur", The Washington Post, December 2, 2006.
  25. ^ "At Festival, an Inside Look at 'Insider'", The Washington Post, April 8, 2005.
  26. ^ a b Alexander, Keith L.. "City's Grant of $200,000 a 'Good Band-Aid,' Official Says", The Washington Post, January 12, 2007.

[edit] External links

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