Preview
Creation Date
5-31-2009
Building Name
Ritz Theater
Historic District
Downtown Waycross Historic District
Description
Ritz Theater, Waycross GA
Opened June 1913, as a vaudeville, opera and live performance theatre under the management of Fred Brewer. In 1917, its name was changed to the Orpheum Theatre, and continued to be used for vaudeville and live performance.
In 1935, extensive interior and exterior renovations were made by noted Jacksonville, Florida Art Deco architect Roy A. Benjamin. The theatre was renamed the Ritz Theatre and is noted as “South Georgia’s finest theatre” and pledges to run first run films only. It continued as a movie theatre until 1977. In 1986, the Ritz Theatre again returned to the performance arts when Waycross Area Community Theatre purchased the building for live community theater productions.
Contributing Building - Downtown Waycross Historic District - National Register of Historic Places NRIS #92000125
Latitude, Longitude
31.20969722, -82.35984722
Rights Statement
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Keywords
Taylor, George Lansing, Jr.; Lance Taylor; Photographers -- Florida -- Jacksonville; Photograph collections -- Florida -- Jacksonville; Ritz Theater; Roy A. Benjamin- architect; Renovations; Performance arts; Community theater productions; Historic district; Theaters --- Georgia --- Waycross --- Ware County.; Images