THE GLORIA: THE REBIRTH OF URBANA’S HISTORIC THEATER
Urbana’s more-than-century-old downtown theater, which closed in 2013 as a twin-screen cinema, is enjoying a new run with many coming attractions in development for Champaign County and the surrounding region.
Purchased by the Urbana United Methodist Church and operated by the nonprofit GrandWorks Foundation, the community theater – the Gloria Theatre – hosts stage productions, concerts, movies, meetings, and community religious gatherings.
At the same time, the GrandWorks Foundation oversees ongoing restoration of the theater, which got its start in 1904 as the Clifford Theater. It was built by leading vaudevillian Billy Clifford, whose birthplace is just steps away from the theater at 114 W. Water Street. The theater suffered significant damage in a 1918 fire and closed in 1930, when Clifford died.
In 1941, Warren Grimes, aviation lighting pioneer and founder of Urbana’s Grimes Manufacturing Company, bought the theater. He invested $100,000 in renovations and reopened the facility on Christmas Day 1941 as the Gloria Theatre, named in honor of his 5-year-old daughter.
The first phase of the current restoration project began in 2014 by returning the two-screen theater to a single auditorium as it was originally. Plus, the theater again has a stage.
Most recently the Foundation, with community support, installed an updated sound system and a new digital projection system and screen. This enables the theater to show newly released movies. Previously, the Gloria Theatre had only 35mm film projectors, a format that is being phased out for new movies.
The GrandWorks Foundation – a partnership of public, private and faith-based organizations – is accepting donations to support continuing restoration of the theater to benefit the community culturally, socially, economically, and spiritually.
Upcoming events at the Gloria can be found at www.gloriatheatre.com.
Purchased by the Urbana United Methodist Church and operated by the nonprofit GrandWorks Foundation, the community theater – the Gloria Theatre – hosts stage productions, concerts, movies, meetings, and community religious gatherings.
At the same time, the GrandWorks Foundation oversees ongoing restoration of the theater, which got its start in 1904 as the Clifford Theater. It was built by leading vaudevillian Billy Clifford, whose birthplace is just steps away from the theater at 114 W. Water Street. The theater suffered significant damage in a 1918 fire and closed in 1930, when Clifford died.
In 1941, Warren Grimes, aviation lighting pioneer and founder of Urbana’s Grimes Manufacturing Company, bought the theater. He invested $100,000 in renovations and reopened the facility on Christmas Day 1941 as the Gloria Theatre, named in honor of his 5-year-old daughter.
The first phase of the current restoration project began in 2014 by returning the two-screen theater to a single auditorium as it was originally. Plus, the theater again has a stage.
Most recently the Foundation, with community support, installed an updated sound system and a new digital projection system and screen. This enables the theater to show newly released movies. Previously, the Gloria Theatre had only 35mm film projectors, a format that is being phased out for new movies.
The GrandWorks Foundation – a partnership of public, private and faith-based organizations – is accepting donations to support continuing restoration of the theater to benefit the community culturally, socially, economically, and spiritually.
Upcoming events at the Gloria can be found at www.gloriatheatre.com.
