THALIAN HALL THEN AND NOW
In the mid 19th century, most cities the size of Wilmington had an opera
house. In the ensuing years, many of those buildings have been lost, and yet
Thalian Hall still stands proudly in downtown Wilmington.
What makes it different? What makes a theater endure through changes
in styles, interests, tastes and popular culture? Rivenbark, speaking with the
perspective of an experienced theater manager, defined the question. “It’s all
about making money. How can
you make it go?”
Flexibility is essential. In fact,
the Hall’s longevity may be due,
at least in part, to its ability to
capitalize on popular trends in
entertainment. For instance, in
the middle of the Reconstruction
period, Rivenbark explained,
“things weren’t going so great.
They put in a new floor down-stairs,
remodeled it, and turned it
into a dance hall. It didn’t last too
long, but it was a fad.”
Indeed, the Hall has always
responded to the desires of its audi-ence.
In 1871, the Star newspaper
noted that it was possible for a
skating contest to draw an audience
away from a theatrical performance,
so in the next decade, during a
lull in professional engagements,
Thalian installed a skating rink.
Thalian Hall has always been on
the cusp of change.
THALIAN HALL ARCHIVE COLLECTION
34 september 2022
WBM
THALIAN HALL ARCHIVE COLLECTION
An 1858 advertisement
for inventor Thomas
Edison’s Projectoscope,
seen at left.
FILM BEGINS
In 1897, before it even had electricity,
it embraced the future of entertainment.
When inventor Thomas Edison’s Projecto-scope
(also called a projecting kinetoscope)
was booked for an engagement at the Hall,
the Wilmington Electric Company spent all
day wiring the theater so crowds could see
the wonders of moving pictures projected
across a canvas screen.
What makes a theater endure through
changes in styles, interests, tastes, and
popular culture? Tony Rivenbark,
speaking with the perspective of an
experienced theater manager, defined
the question. “It’s all about making
money. How can you make it go?”
Tony Rivenbark outside Thalian Hall in
1994. The program in his hand is for a
performance of Seven Brides for Seven
Brothers.
A view from the west side of the 300 block of North Third Street. The City Hall, New Hanover Courthouse and Annex, and the Colonial
Apartments are among the buildings that can be seen.