On Jan. 18, 1926, Cols. Carl Loth and James Patterson opened the doors to Waynesboro's first vaudeville/silent movie theatre. From its neo-classical facade to its fashionable interior, the Wayne Theatre was destined to be a center of community life.
Eighty years later, the vulnerable structure had fallen on hard times. No longer viable as a movie theatre and with no stage, support spaces or technical facilities, the Wayne is an empty shell waiting to be leveled.
Preserve an historic landmark.
Your gift to the Wayne Capital Campaign will preserve this last major historical building in downtown Waynesboro. It will restore the exterior to its gracious neo-classical beginnings while returning the interior to the dimensions of the original vaudeville theatre. An investment in the Wayne will mean a significant landmark is saved for future generations.
Create a center for the performing arts and film.
A contribution to the Wayne Capital Campaign will help transform a defunct and unusable movie theatre into a modern, state-of-the-art performing arts and film center. It will provide a working stage with wings and fly tower, an orchestra chamber and a comfortable backstage area for all who perform in the Wayne. And it will return film to downtown Waynesboro.
The Wayne Project will create an intimate 344-seat auditorium that will be unlike any in the region. It will be a professional performance venue where local actors, dancers and musicians will share their talents and skills with local audiences. The new Wayne will open its door to entertainers and arts organizations that now must bypass the area. Your gift will make it possible for local audiences to see and hear a variety of performances without driving to Charlottesville, Roanoke or Richmond. The Wayne will be a destination for audiences throughout the Valley.
Reclaim downtown Waynesboro.
Across Virginia and the United States, projects such as the Wayne Restoration have been the catalyst for economic growth in shuttered downtowns. Your investment in the Wayne Project will encourage new businesses, promote a new sense of community and ensure the rebirth of a once vibrant downtown. Please visit the following websites for examples of other communities that have renovated their old theaters and seen their towns revitalized. - www.franklin-pa.org - www.prizery.com - www.the-lincoln-theatre.org - www.bartertheatre.com - www.swampgravy.com
Come ... Join us in Preserving the Past and Creating the Future.
