Historic Capitol Theatre
| Then & Now
The site of the present Capitol Theatre was originally the WA Dunlap Building, built circa 1922. It was open as a furniture store and undertaking establishment. The building later housed the J.C. Penney Company until the company lost it’s lease circa 1934. Crescent Amusement Company then began construction of the Capitol Theatre that same year. The Capitol was the largest venue of three movie houses in downtown Maryville, seating just under 1000 people. The other two theaters were the present day Palace Theater, and the Park, which was in the building directly across the street, for years known as Roy’s Records.
Typical of art deco style movie houses of that era, the Capitol was the premier entertainment venue for locals, where parents would often drop their children off for an afternoon of westerns while they shopped. The building’s fly loft over the stage allowed the silver screen to retract in order to also accommodate live theater and musical performances. After it finally closed in the 1970’s, the Capitol housed a variety of tenants, which included a record shop, disco, wedding dress store, and is currently a coffee shop and the studio of local artist Heath Claiborne.
The theater itself is currently in the early stages of renovation. When completed, the Capitol will serve as a special events facility in a dinner theater setting, providing a stage, retractable silver screen, dance floor, catering kitchen, and flexible seating. The theater will not only serve as an entertainment venue for live performances and movies, but will be available for private parties, corporate events, and the like.
For more information please call 980-1966 with any questions you may have.
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