The Colonial Theatre was originally Cowdrey's Playhouse, and was located across the street from it's current location in Pompton Lakes, Mr. Cowdrey was, according to legend of the area, a wealthy man who gained his fortune from the Alaska gold rush. It was then taken over by Harold Blumenthal and its location moved across the street to where the current building stands today. The owner renamed it the Colonial Theatre and it became a movie house and one of the first in the area to show talking motion pictures. In 1932, the original building was burned to the ground after a democratic town hall meeting with then A. Harry Moore. The theatre rebuilt and operated as the Colonial Twin Theatre, a duplex movie theatre until multiplexes and rental stores forced the movie theatre into closure. It is currently the home of Rhino Theatre, an active community theatre organization that produces multiple live theatre performances and special events as well as camps and workshops.
The Colonial Theatre was originally Cowdrey's Playhouse, and was located across the street from it's current location in Pompton Lakes, Mr. Cowdrey was, according to legend of the area, a wealthy man who gained his fortune from the Alaska gold rush. It was then taken over by Harold Blumenthal and its location moved across the street to where the current building stands today. The owner renamed it the Colonial Theatre and it became a movie house and one of the first in the area to show talking motion pictures. In 1932, the original building was burned to the ground after a democratic town hall meeting with then A. Harry Moore. The theatre rebuilt and operated as the Colonial Twin Theatre, a duplex movie theatre until multiplexes and rental stores forced the movie theatre into closure. It is currently the home of Rhino Theatre, an active community theatre organization that produces multiple live theatre performances and special events as well as camps and workshops.
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