Carolina Theatre of Greensboro

The Carolina Theatre of Greensboro is Greensboro, North Carolina's only remaining historic theatre. It was billed as “The Showplace of the Carolinas” when it opened on Halloween night, 1927. The 2,200 seat structure was built for the Saenger-Publix Company, cost over $500,000 to build and was one of the first commercial buildings to be air conditioned in the state. Early programs featured live performances, the Carolina Theatre Orchestra, the Carolina News newsreel, audience sing-alongs and silent films accompanied on the Robert Morton theatre organ. Saenger installed a Vitaphone sound system in 1928. The first "talkies" attracted sellout crowds. The first movie with sound shown at the Carolina was Glorious Betsy starring Conrad Nagel in 1928. The Jazz Singer was shown next. When constructed, the auditorium had a segregated balcony plus a mezzanine. Black patrons entered by a separate stairway and could only sit in the balcony. As late as May, 1963, the theatre was segregated. On May 15, 1963, students from North Carolina A&T University and Bennett College blocked the theatre's entrance when they were refused entrance. By the early 1970s, the theatre had declined and was slated for demolition by its owner, Jefferson Pilot Corporation, now Lincoln National Corporation. The United Arts Council of Greensboro raised $550,000 to purchase the building from Jefferson Pilot a

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