The historic Colonial Theatre, known as the premiere destination for entertainment in downtown Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, is thrilled to announce its upcoming events and engagements for the 2024 fall season. In the coming months, audiences can look forward to the Noir City Film Festival, Halloween movie screenings, live music performances, and the return of the popular late-night immersive speakeasy experiences.
The Colonial’s exciting slate of upcoming fall events:
Concerts & Evening Entertainment:
Colonial 54, the popular immersive disco experience, returns to the Bank Lobby on Sept. 27. Grab a shiny outfit and your pumps to dance the night away during this tribute to the glitz and glamour of 1970s New York, featuring DJ Moshé, The Spin Therapist. Also, enjoy a performance by Roxanne Rohls as Liza Minelli herself.
On Sept. 26 and Oct. 17, the Colonial Theatre will host Improv Jam. Open to beginners or experienced improvisers, the event allows attendees to come together, move, connect with their creativity, and play fun improvised games. The hour-and-a-half Improv Jam will include improvisation for the stage, light scene work, and game playing. It will be led by Phoenixville-based improviser, improv teacher, and artist Paul Deichmann of the Heartwood Players.
Come in costume and celebrate Día De Los Muertos at the Colonial Theatre on Nov.1 with a huge Latin dance party. The event will feature DJ Jholi in La Jungla de Perreo.
Additionally, the Colonial is hosting a variety of concerts for audiences to enjoy, including singer and songwriter Shannon Curtis: The Good to Me Tour on Sept. 28, Southeastern Pennsylvania ultimate Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac tribute band Nicks in Time on Oct. 4, The Bacon Brothers Freestanding Tour on Oct. 6, the Total Mass Retain YES Tribute Band on Oct. 26, and the Guns N’ Roses and AC/DC tribute band Appetite for Voltage on Nov. 2.
Special Movie Screenings
- Frida, which tells the true story of Frida Kahlo and her Husband Diego, on Sept.22
- Guillermo del Toro’s Pans Labyrinth, Sept. 29,
- the 1931 Spanish-language American horror film Drácula on Oct. 6.
Halloween Events
This October, the Colonial Theatre is celebrating Halloween all month long by offering a variety of spooky films and events for audiences to enjoy. On Oct. 12, parents can leave the kids at home and attend the Colonial’s adults-only screening of Hocus Pocus, which will be followed by a Ghouls Night Out Halloween dance party. Guests can dress up in their best costumes and dance until they die in the theatre’s garden suite and rooftop terrace.
Horror movie fans who like to stay up late can take part in Exhumed Films’ 24-Hour Horror-thon Part XVI, which is hosted at the Colonial Theatre on Oct. 19. The horror-thon begins at noon on Saturday, October 19, and ends at noon on Sunday, Oct. 20. As in previous years, the lineup of films is kept secret; audience members will only find out what the features are as they unspool onto the screen. The show will be a combination of popular horror titles mixed with some really rare gems. The program will also feature classic trailers, shorts, and other oddities projected from 35mm film.
The weekend before Halloween, the Colonial Theatre will offer a number of horror film classics for audiences to enjoy, including the 1978 35 mm screening of Halloween on Oct. 25, Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas on Oct.26, and the 1922 silent horror film Nosferatu which will feature live theatre organ accompaniment on Oct. 27.
Film Festivals:
This fall, NOIR CITY, the most popular film noir festival in the world, returns to the Colonial Theatre on Nov.15 and runs through Nov. 17. The three-day extravaganza features ten films from the heart of Hollywood’s noir movement. Hosted by Eddie Muller, audiences will take a swanky, sexy, and sinister excursion back in time.
About Colonial Theatre:
Originally built in 1902, the Colonial is the last surviving of the theatres that once existed in the borough and is the only theatre of its kind in Chester County. The theatre, originally named the Colonial Opera House, debuted its inaugural stage performance in 1903 and was home to live stage shows by Harry Houdini and Mary Pickford, vaudeville acts, and musicals. The Colonial Theatre not only survived both World Wars and the Great Depression but became a national treasure after appearing in several scenes in the 1958 release of the sci-fi horror classic The Blob.
After renovating and expanding into the adjacent former National Bank of Phoenixville building in 2017, the Colonial now consists of three theatres housed in two connected historic buildings. The older wing of the Colonial Theatre houses the box office and the 658-seat 1903 Theatre, one of only a few theatres left across the country equipped for both 35mm and 2K digital projection. The treasured 1903 Theatre offers a stunning, one-of-a-kind experience for moviegoers or live event attendees. Guests can walk the same aisles as vaudeville greats and film stars of days gone by.
The most updated wing, the former bank, houses the 174-seat White Rabbit Theatre and the intimate red luxe 65-seat Berry Theatre. Both theatres are equipped for 2k digital projection. The modern, swanky White Rabbit Theatre space boasts retractable seats, allowing for a flexible venue that can be used as a black box theatre or open auditorium. The updated wing also houses rental spaces, the main concession stand, and the bar. Programming at the Colonial includes classic, art, and independent film howings, live concerts, comedy shows, and a variety of community events.
The Colonial Theatre (227 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, PA 19460), is situated in the heart of downtown Phoenixville.