Paramount Theatre, Historic movie theater in downtown Abilene, United States
Paramount Theatre is a movie theater in downtown Abilene featuring more than 1100 seats arranged in split aisles. The interior displays Spanish-Moorish design with a domed ceiling where moving clouds and stars are projected across the surface.
The building opened in 1930 under architect David S. Castle's design, establishing its Mission Revival aesthetic that remains defining. It has served the city as a cultural anchor for entertainment and artistic expression ever since.
The theater serves as a home stage for the Abilene Ballet and Opera groups, showcasing performances by local artists throughout the year. Visitors can experience how this place remains central to the community's artistic life and gatherings.
The venue sits in downtown Abilene and is easy to reach on foot from central shopping areas. Visitors should check ahead since programming changes based on events and it does not operate as a regular cinema daily.
Universal Pictures selected this theater in 1931 for an early showing of Dracula, which occurred two days before the film's official release. This made it one of the first places outside major cities to experience this classic horror picture.
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