The Colonial Theatre : About Us : Restoration

The Colonial Theatre is one of America's finest
turn-of-the-century theaters to survive intact!

Designed by noted theater architect J. B. McElfatrick, the Colonial Theatre’s stage and audience chamber were a class above most playhouses of the day. McElfatrick designed hundreds of theaters throughout North America during the later half of the 19th and first few years of the 20th centuries – 66 in New York City alone – but the Colonial is one of only a handful still standing.

McElfatrick was engaged by the Sullivan family of North Adams to build first the Empire Theatre in that community and later the Colonial in Pittsfield. The two theaters were carbon copies of each other, which explains why it took only 5 ½ months and $70,000 to build the Colonial in 1903. Unfortunately, the Empire burned to the ground in 1912 (a frequent fate of theaters in that day).

As was often the custom in that day, the exterior of the theater was designed by a respected local architect, Joseph McArthur Vance who also designed Pittsfield’s Masonic Temple. First Baptist Church, Wahconah Park Stadium, Mount Greylock’s Bascom Lodge, and the Mahaiwe Theatre in Great Barrington.

Over the proscenium arch, in a “sail vault”, is a soundboard concealed by a mural representing Art and Music. The soundboard, rounded room elements, and articulated plaster detail are design signatures of J.B. McElfatrick and are thought to contribute to the superior natural acoustics of the theater.

More Details

The Colonial Theatre opened on September 28, 1903 with a production of the operetta Robin Hood by the Bostonians, a famed touring group. The house was sold out, and 1400 people attended.

The Colonial soon became a regular stop for big-name entertainers, including:

The perfect proportions of the Colonial Theatre were enhanced with intricate plaster work and rich finishes and, after extensive renovations in 1912, state-of-the-art theatrical technology – electric footlights, borderlights and a switchboard by the General Electric Company.

In 1934, the Colonial ended its years as a nationally revered playhouse and vaudeville theater and closed its doors due to the economic strain of the Depression.

In 1937, the Colonial reopened primarily as a movie theater although some community

performances continued until the day the

theater closed. A new marquee, projection

room and two retail stores were added to the

front of the building, dramatically altering its

classic lines.

In 1952, the Colonial, no longer functioning as a theatre, was purchased by George Miller, who moved his business into what had been the orchestra level. To accomodate a retail business, the orchestra floor was leveled and a ceiling partition was added, concealing - and preserving - the balconies and elaborate architectural details.

Born near Harrisburg, PA in 1829, John B. McElfatrick designed the sight lines and acoustic plans upon which many American theatres were built. In New York City, he designed the Knickerbocker Building and Theatre, the New York, Criterion, Empire, New Victory, Broadway, Alhambra, Murray Hill, Metropolis and Hudson Theatres, the Harlem Opera House and the Grand Opera House, and two of F. F. Proctor's theatres. He also directed the reconstruction of the Metropolitan Opera House after the fire of 1893.

The preeminent American theatre architect of his time, the prolific McElfatrick also designed the National Theater in Washington D.C. and the Metropolitan Opera House of Philadelphia among hundreds of others across the country.

For tours of the Colonial, please call (413) 997-4444 for scheduled dates and times!