Rialto Theater (Morrilton, Arkansas)

The Rialto Theater is a performance theatre and concert venue located in downtown Morrilton, Arkansas in the United States of America.

History

Located in the small town of Morrilton, Arkansas, the Rialto Theatre has a rich history stretching over nearly 100 years.

Guy O. Vail opened what is now the Rialto in 1911. The Rialto was the first motion picture theatre in Morrilton and remained Vail's until the spring of 1925 when it was sold to I.W. Nance of nearby Conway. Two years after Nance bought the theatre, Arkansas Amusement Enterprises, Inc purchased the theatre and officially renamed it the Rialto Theatre.

Talking pictures brought new life to the theatre in 1930 when a remodeling took place to acoustically treat the new technology. It was then that United Theatres Corporation purchased the Rialto.

In 1952 the United Theatres Corporation closed the Rialto for major renovations. A new large projection screen was installed to go with the cushioned seats and elevated floors. It was then touted that the Rialto was one of Central Arkansas' finest theatres.

The theatre maintained operation until 1987 when the current owners, the United Artists theatre chain, closed the building. At the time of the closing, United Artists had partitioned the lone theatre to three separate screens that included two in the main theater portion and one for the balcony.

After years of decay, the Rialto Community Arts Center was formed in 1997 as a subsidiary of The Arts Council of Conway County. The Board of Directors agreed to begin renovation to return the Rialto to its former glory.

Description

The Rialto Theater is located at 215 E. Broadway in downtown Morrilton, Arkansas and is one of the main contributors to the revitalization of the downtown area of the community.

Following the closure of the building in 1987 the theater was in need of many repairs. The revitalization that began in 1997 has grown to include a complete remodeling of the marquee in the front, new construction of a stage and proscenium, new curtains, installation of light and sound systems, construction of new dressing rooms, and too many improvements to name.

The Rialto serves as a meeting place for the community and hosts a wide variety of functions. The Rialto can be rented out to bands and groups (if approved by the Rialto's Board of Directors). plays, musical acts, and many other theatre activities have taken place over the past couple years.

For the past couple years the Rialto has hosted such musical acts as Bob Wills' Texas Playboys, Sonny Burgess & the Pacers, The Tennessee Three, Jackson Cash, and Charlie Rich, Jr.. There is a concert usually on the third Friday of each month that features the in-house band Rialto Pickers.

Music is not the only consistent performer. The Rialto Players, a local theatre troupe, have presented a few plays over the years including "Love Letters", "Dearly Departed", and a play written by members of the troupe entitled "Deep in the Heart". Over the past year and a half the troupe has performed a "Futrelle-ogy" of plays written by the playwrights Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope, and Jaime Wooten. These plays, "Dearly Beloved", "Christmas Belles", and "Southern Hospitality" have been well received by the community. "Christmas Belles" and "Southern Hospitality" were believed to be the first performances of the play west of the Mississippi River.

External links

* [http://www.rialtoartscenter.com/ The Rialto Community Arts Center's Official Website]