Saraton Theatre, Heritage movie theater in Grafton, Australia.
Saraton Theatre is a heritage-listed theatre at 95 Prince Street in Grafton, New South Wales, used for both films and live performances. The 1926 building was designed by F. J. Board and built by J. Walters; its 1940 interior, by architect George Rae and builders Goddard & Goddard, was finished in cream and green with touches of blue and gold, with fluted columns and frescoes.
The theater opened in 1926 when architect F. J. Board completed its design. A major renovation led by George Rae in 1940 transformed its appearance and structure for future decades.
The name reverses the family surname: "Saraton" spells Notaras backwards. John (Ioannis) Notaras arrived from Kythera in 1905 and joined his father's food shop; Tony arrived in 1908, and the brothers later opened a Grafton cafe before building the theatre. The property is still owned by Notaras Bros Entertainment Pty Ltd.
The venue offers hearing aid loops for those who need them and maintains accessible facilities throughout. Evening and weekend visits tend to have the most showtimes and fuller schedules.
The Saraton closed around 1963, when television reached country areas, and stayed shut until 10 December 1982, when it reopened after repainting and refurbishment. A 1989 fire destroyed the projection box equipment, so films ran on 16 mm from the front of the dress circle from 26 January.
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