Lucille Ball Little Theatre
Company theatre
Company type | non-profit corporation |
---|---|
Industry | community theatre company |
Founded | 1969 |
Founder | Abner E. Allen |
Headquarters | Jamestown, New York |
Key people | Charles Samuels |
Since 1969, the company's home has been located at 18 East Second St. in Jamestown. The building began its life in 1881 as Allen's Opera House. Its proprietor, Abner E. Allen, sold the theatre to Charles Samuels in 1898 when it became known as Samuels Opera House. It was then acquired by the MA Shea Corporation in 1919 and in 1925 was extensively and elegantly refurbished in a Spanish style, which can still be seen in its facade. The Shea Theatre was initially used for vaudeville performances but with the decline of the genre it was turned into a cinema. By the early 1960s the cinema had closed and the building was derelict. It was purchased in 1968 by the Little Theatre of Jamestown, and new theatre was built inside the shell of the old one. The renovated theatre was opened in 1969. Officially renamed the Lucille Ball Little Theatre in 1991, it has a seating capacity of 402, a full stage, and a small lobby.