From Silent Movies to the Sokol: The History of Reading’s Laurel, Palm and Rivoli Theatre
13
08, 2026
15
12, 2024
The Astor Theater’s Light Lives On
In the heart of Reading, Pennsylvania, the Astor Theater once stood as a beacon of architectural grandeur and cultural significance. Though the theater met its unfortunate demise years ago, pieces of its storied past have found their way into unexpected places, telling the [...]
7
09, 2024
John D. Mishler, one of Reading’s most prominent figures in theater, business, civic leadership, philanthropy, and journalism
John D. Mishler was a prominent figure in theater, business, civic leadership, philanthropy, and journalism, with his influence extending across multiple fields that shaped both the cultural and social landscape of Reading and Berks County. He was born on April 28, 1847, in [...]
26
03, 2024
The Eric Theater – 3225 N. Fifth St., Muhlenberg Township
In 1969, a $165,000 bond was put in place for the building of the Eric Theater near Allentown Pike and Elizabeth Avenue in Muhlenberg Township as part of the Madeira Mall tract. At first, it was a project of the Peach Development Co. [...]
11
03, 2024
The Loew’s Colonial Theatre – Reading, PA
The Colonial Theatre, built by Carr and Schad in 1916 on the Breneiser property at 651–667 Penn Street between Ellis Mills and Hotel Allen, was the first premium movie house built "uptown." The film “Sleeping Fires,” starring Pauline Frederick, opened on April 15, [...]
23
07, 2020
Astor Theatre – Penn Street – Reading PA
In 1891, the Keystone Market House at 734 Penn Street was transformed into the Eden Musee (a curio hall and museum) and the Bijou Theatre. The property underwent various name changes over the next twenty-five years, including Gilder’s Auditorium, Becker’s Lyceum, the “New [...]
2
07, 2020
Penn Theatre – West Reading, Pennsylvania
In the summer of 1939, the Wilmer and Vincent theatre chain, purchased the Ruth estate at Sixth and Penn Avenues in West Reading for the purpose of building a theatre on the site. According to an article which ran in the Reading Eagle on [...]
2
07, 2020
Majestic Theatre – Mount Penn
On November 10, 1939, Eugene Deeter bought a ticket to the show in the newly-opened Wilmer and Vincent theatre at 23rd and Filbert Streets in Mount Penn. That theatre was the Majestic. Sixteen years later, Mr. Deeter would take over its management Below: [...]
4
06, 2020
The Strand Theater
The Strand Theatre was located at the Northeast corner of at 9th and Spring Streets in Reading. The city's largest neighborhood theater was constructed by C.H. Schlegel and Son and opened on February 21, 1920. As the Reading Eagle ad of that day [...]
24
05, 2020
The Grand Opera House Theatre
In 1871 the West Reading Market House was erected on the south side of Penn below Fourth Street, extending in the rear to Cherry Street. The directors of the Market House Company, headed by John Kissinger, president, and George M. Ermentrout, secretary and [...]