Normal Theater, Art Moderne movie theater in Normal, US.
The Normal Theater is a Streamline Moderne movie house in downtown Normal built with curved forms and horizontal bands across its symmetrical front. The structure features a tall vertical marquee facing North Street and contains a single auditorium with seating for 385 people.
The theater was designed by architect Arthur F. Moratz and opened in 1937 with a musical film that starred Bing Crosby. It originally held 620 seats but was later modified to accommodate fewer guests.
The theater presents a mix of independent films, classic movies, and retrospectives to audiences who gather to watch films on the original single screen that has been kept from the 1930s.
The theater sits in downtown Normal and is easy to reach on foot from nearby streets and parking areas. The building provides accessible entrances and facilities that serve visitors with various mobility needs.
The building closed its doors in 1991 but was purchased and restored by the Town of Normal, earning recognition as a preservation success. The restoration work received the Preservation Project of the Year award from Illinois Landmarks in 1996.
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