Erie Pennsylvania’s Warner Theatre: The show must go on
By Maria Borowy
You walk through solid bronze doors and step inside the luxurious gold- gilded grand lobby to find yourself immersed in rich architecture and history. Surrounded by tapestries and French mirrors that line the walls, you stand under crystal chandeliers that produce soft, elegant lighting while enhancing the mood. You appear at the bottom of a grand staircase that seems to be inviting your arrival.
The Warner Theatre in Erie, Pennsylvania, is the center of culture for this small-town city. From hosting some of music’s most world renowned performers, like Johnny Cash and Tony Bennett, to holding the parties full of grandeur, this theatre is a part of history. If the walls could talk, they would tell nearly a century’s worth of stories.
The impact that this theatre has had on Erie is, for longtime resident Maryann Russo, something that inspires memories and passion.
“I can remember back to when I was a little girl and the Warner Theatre was the most glamourous and renowned spot in town. It was a big part of my life, growing up.” — Maryann Russo
“If your family wanted a weekend treat, they could go there for the evening and see a movie that was being shown. I saw my first movie in that theatre, and that night sparked a love of movies in me. Then, as time progressed, famous singers and performers had concerts and productions there,” Russo, now 65, said in an interview.
Russo touched on the fact that most families during her childhood did not have the luxury of going to a movie theatre at any time they pleased. The economy was nothing like it is today, and treating your family to a show was a privilege and special occasion, according to Russo.
Warner Brothers, today one of the world’s largest producers of film and television entertainment, commissioned the building of the Warner Theatre in 1929. The design goal for their luxury movie palaces was to create an environment “twice as rich, three times more fanciful than life,” according to the Warner Theatre’s official website. Designed by architects Rapp & Rapp, the theatre was constructed at a cost of $1.5 million Depression-era dollars, according to the history section of the Warner Theatre’s official website.
Warner Bros. also appointed the world-renowned Rambusch Studios in New York City to decorate the interior. Rambusch created a lavish art deco interior that would invite generations of theatre-goers to a palace of magnificence and fantasy according to the history section of the Warner Theatre’s official website. Considering the quality of the design and cost of the building materials used, the theatre would be virtually impossible to replace today. It was Erie’s first and has remained Erie’s only deluxe downtown picture palace according to the history section of the Warner Theatre’s official website.
Russo explained that every decade of her life somehow incorporated The Warner Theatre. She has many memories from both the performer’s point of view and the audience member’s.
“When I became a teenager, our studio’s annual dance recitals were held at the the Warner Theatre. Every year we spent months preparing for the big stage, and every year we were thrilled to have the opportunity to perform at such an amazing venue. Now my two daughters and granddaughters carry on the same tradition and dance on the same stage,” Russo explained.
“The Warner Theatre has been greatly preserved as a symbol of an era that is gone. The theatre building is as much of a spectacle as the performances given there,” Russo said. “Any restoration or repair of the building has been discreetly done: it hasn’t been overly polished or modified.
“I’m not sure if I know of any other theatres that look as classic and (full of) grandeur as this one. I’m grateful to whoever decided to save this 1931 gem from the wrecking ball. The stage has spent so many years serving as a place of entrainment for so many different kinds of performance. It’s really used today as a concert venue.”
In 1971, Cinemette Corporation of America bought the Warner Theatre and operated it until 1976, when the late Erie Mayor, Louis J. Tullio, stepped in, according to the Warner Theatre’s official History Book website. The mayor recognized the importance of saving it from planned demolition and had a vision of a civic center complex to provide venues for sports and arts entertainment to the region. With assistance from the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, he negotiated a successful purchase of the building from Cinemette and saved a piece of Erie’s history, according to the Warner Theatre’s official History Book website.
Jackie Italiani, a 37-year-old Erie resident, has a more contemporary outlook on the theatre. She explained that since most of her memories of the Warner Theatre were because of concerts and live shows, she sees it less in the historical light.
“I have been going to concerts at the Warner Theatre since I was a little girl. It’s truly the perfect venue for a great show. Because the theatre isn’t too large, any seat in the house is a good one. I saw my favorite band, Train, there three times!” Italiani stated.
In 1981, the Broadway Theatre League began to bring in a series of top Broadway musicals, performed by New York-based touring companies. Additionally, the Erie Civic Ballet Company began performing on the Warner Theatre’s stage. That same year, it was listed on the commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Inventory of Museums and Historical Places, and on April 13, 1982, it was placed on the National Register for Historic Places, according to the Warner Theatre’s History Book website.
Italiani also explained that concerts aren’t the only performances she’s been to. “I’ve seen Broadway shows at the theatre as well. Sitting in the audience for Mama Mia! was such a fun experience. It was as if I really was in New York City for the night.
“Some of my best memories were made at the Warner Theatre and I know that this is true for many of my family members and friends as well. No matter how old the theatre may be, it still stands strong in Erie and still continues to be such a center for our culture,” Italiani said.
Russo gleamed as she reminisced on her memories of the palace. One of her favorites was seeing Johnny Mathis live in concert.
“It was one of the best concerts I’ve ever seen,” Russo explained.
“I was front row for the show and couldn’t believe that such a star was in our home town. He raved about the theatre at the end of the show telling the audience about how beautiful the venue was and how historic he heard it was. My friends and I still talk about how great that night was to this day.” — Maryann Russo
Perhaps in future years, when The Warner Theatre’s walls could tell a few centuries worth of stories, community members will continue to fill its historic seats. As the saying goes, the show must go on.
For more information:
History Book: Warner Theatre. http://eriewarnertheatre.com/about-us/history-book/
Warner Theatre website: http://eriewarnertheatre.com
U.S. National Park Service: Warner Theatre. https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/wash/dc37.htm
