The beginnings of this grand facility occurred during Hershey’s ‘Great Building Campaign’ that coincided with the early years of the country’s Great Depression. The building of the Hershey Theatre extended from 1929 to 1933′ and it gave work to well over 600 general laborers, artists, and craftspeople. They used many exotic materials gathered from overseas. During the building campaign, Hersheypark Arena, Hershey Stadium, and the acclaimed Hotel Hershey were all erected as well.
Hershey’s performing arts center was opened in September 1933 to help celebrate the 30th anniversary of the city of Hershey’s beginnings. Patrons who strolled into the Grand Lobby of the Hershey Theatre walked on floors of cut Italian lava rock that was brilliantly polished. The eyes of attendees would cast upward to drink in bas-relief depictions of scenes both bucolic and militaristic. Swans, sheaves of wheat, and Assyrian war chariots were all represented. Artistic tastes of all types were addressed.
The visual treat extended into the inner foyer. Ticket-holders excitedly journeyed to their Hershey, Pennsylvania theater seating under a golden canopy that mimicked the designs found at St. Mark’s Cathedral in Venice.
As playgoers sat down in their plush new chairs, the Venice theme was elaborated upon even further. They enjoyed the water color depiction of the Grand Canal in Venice gently streaming past the Palace in which the Doge resided, The Theatre’s proscenium arch is styled after the ancient medieval bridges that arched serenely over the great canals of Venice.
Gazing upward from their elaborate Pennsylvania theater seating, amazed patrons looked up to the beautiful ‘stars and cloud’ suspended roof. Low wattage bulbs cast their light through 88 small openings, resulting in an inspiring star-like scene. Clouds danced across the ceiling because of a powerful light projected through an 18-inch spinning disc. Small clouds etched into the disc could be projected on the ceiling. The disc would rotate and the images of moving clouds danced above the gathered patrons. Current playgoers still bask in the rich, Venice-inspired setting of the Hershey Theatre. There is a great deal of Pennsylvania theater seating to choose from, but the theater chairs in Hershey still afford attendees a place from which to develop great memories.
