About the Columbus Theatre: The Columbus Theatre was designed by architect Oreste DiSaia and built by realtor Domenic Annotti in 1926. The Theatre originally featured vaudeville and silent films before being leased by RKO Albee Theater, who renamed the building the Uptown Theater and operated it as one of Providence’s premier cinemas for the next 25 years. With the advent of television the Theatre fell on hard times, but builder Misak Berberian, whose love of architecture drew him to the Theatre, purchased it in the summer of 1962. He revived the Theater’s original name and installed his son Jon at the helm. After extensive repairs, the Berberians reopened the Theatre on November 1, 1962 – the 36th anniversary of the building’s original opening.
After more than four decades of operation—which included music, film, and theatre presentations, as well as serving community groups from throughout Rhode Island with a beautiful venue for their programs—the Theatre was forced to close again in 2009 because of fire code updates. Since that time, Jon Berberian has worked tirelessly to meet those requirements for the Theatre, which reopened its doors November 17, 2012 and has once again become a beautiful and valued asset to the community.
Formed in summer 2012, the Columbus Cooperative comprises members of the music, design, nonprofit, and hospitality industries. Working on a volunteer basis alongside the Theatre’s ownership, the Cooperative works to reinvigorate both the Theatre and the West End community by programming a range of unique live events in an unequaled space. The Cooperative is Lauren Faria, Ben Knox Miller, Bryan Minto, Jeff Prystowsky, and Tom Weyman. For more information, email [email protected].
Featured image from the Columbus Theatre.
