Palace Theater (Hilo, Hawaii)
Historic Theater in Hawaii County, Hawaii
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Palace Theater is a historic movie theater in downtown Hilo, Hawaiʻi. Built in 1925, the Beaux-Arts–style building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 11, 1993.[1] After closing as a commercial cinema, the theatre reopened in 1998 as an arthouse venue and performance space, hosting films, concerts, and live theatrical productions.
Palace Theater | |
 The theater's neon sign | |
| Location | 38 Haili St., Hilo, Hawaii |
|---|---|
| Built | 1925 |
| Architect | Davis & Fishbourne |
| Website | https://hilopalace.com/ |
| NRHP reference No. | 93000376[1] |
| Added to NRHP | May 11, 1993 |
Architecture
Architects Davis & Fishbourne designed the building in the Beaux-Arts style, and it was constructed in 1925.[citation needed]
The two-story building has five bays on its front facade, with a metal marquee dividing the two stories.[citation needed] The three central bays feature broken pediments and decorative urns above the second-floor windows.[citation needed] A parapet with a balustrade runs along the top of the building.[2]
The theatre includes a restored lobby with a cafe.[citation needed] The theatre itself features steeply banked amphitheater seating in three tiers, and a decorative proscenium frames the stage.[citation needed]
A large Robert Morton pipe organ is in the auditorium.[citation needed] Much of the organ is original to the Palace in 1925.[citation needed] The organ was moved in 1940 to the Hilo Theater, which was destroyed by the 1960 tsunami.[citation needed] The surviving pipework was then purchased by Roger Angell and installed in his family home in Honolulu.[citation needed] He eventually donated the organ back to the Palace Theater, and it has been expanded with portions of the pipe organ from the demolished Waikiki Theatre in Honolulu.[3]
Events
The Palace Theater has regular concerts. Every spring, a variety show fundraiser is held featuring local talent.[citation needed] Each autumn, a theatrical musical production is staged for performances over the course of a month.[citation needed] Independent films are played throughout the year.[citation needed]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Palace Theater produced the Live From the Empty Palace web series, which featured local Hawaiian artists performing for an empty audience.[citation needed] The series produced a Nā Hōkū Hanohano finalist compilation album,[4] and a 12-episode broadcast television series shown on PBS.[citation needed] The series included performances by Hawaiian artists including Kolea, El Sancho, Larry Dupio, Kainani Kahaunaele, Lopaka Rootz, Ka'ahele.[citation needed]
