Theater History - Historic Setting

The Sheboygan Theatre was constructed in 1928 for the Milwaukee Theatre Circuit of Universal Pictures Corporation at a cost of $600,000. Designed in the Spanish Colonial Revival architectural style, it is an especially fine and intact example of the ‘atmospheric” type movie theater developed in the 1920’s.

The theater was an instantaneous success and immediately became Sheboygan’s premier motion picture and theatrical venue. Over the years popular Hollywood and New York performers graced the stage of the theater, which included appearances by Abbot and Costello, the Marx Brothers, Duke Ellington, Guy Lombardo, and Glen Miller.

The theater was purchased in the late 1930 by Warner Brothers and retained its prominence and successful operation until the introduction of television and the growing popularity of smaller movie theaters in the 1950s and 1960s.

Recognizing a trend, Marcus Theaters Management Company purchased the theater in 1966, and in 1980 remodeled the interior, abandoning the balcony and creating two new single-story theaters within the building. The twin theaters remained operational until 1992 when it closed.

In 1996 the newly formed Sheboygan Community Theatre Foundation Inc., purchased the building for the purpose of preserving, restoring and overseeing the future operation of the historic theater.

The property was placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior and the State of Wisconsin Register of Historic Places by the State Historical Society of Wisconsin on December 22, 1999.