Community News: Holly Theatre Celebrating 93 Years!

On Friday, August 18, Holly Theatre hosted their 93rd birthday celebration complete with tours, cupcakes, Holly Theatre coloring pages and more! Other celebrations include new seats in historic design and restoring the “bubblers” to the main lobby.

Holly Theatre was designed by noted architect Frank Clark in a Spanish Colonial Revival style. In its beginnings, the Holly displayed the largest illuminated sign in Oregon outside of Portland and was ahead of its time being the largest electrification project in Southern Oregon or Northern California. Its ornate, Venetian style brought beauty to the eyes of those weary from depression-era Medford.

Sadly, the Holly closed its doors in 1986 due to changes in the film industry that affected the smaller theatres around the country. Slated to be demolished, Art Alfinito purchased it and set it up on the National Register of Historic Places. The theatre didn’t realize the hoped restoration at that point, but in 2011 the JPR Foundation purchased it and countless experts and volunteers have been working on restoration since.

The Holly is actively seeking supporters, both financially and in volunteers, to complete this labor of love. Visit hollytheatre.org to see how you can get involved.

Two immediate ways you can contribute to the restoration are:

Purchase an opera seat, the prototype pictured below. 783 seats have already been sponsored! New Executive Director, Shelley Austin notes how comfy they are.

Join the matching funds to restore the “Bubbler” drinking fountains to the theatre’s lobby. Have your donation matched here

Here in the Rogue Valley, we are privileged to have an historic venue such as the Holly Theatre and those whose passion is to ensure the Holly is dressed up to all she is meant to be!

The Holly Theatre  |  226 W 6th St, Medford, OR 97501  |  541-772-3797  |  www.hollytheatre.org