An evenings entertainment at the Roxy Theatre during its heyday is so alien to contemporary movie-goers, that a complete re-framing is necessary.

In 2015, a trip to the movies usually involves purchasing a ticket, picking up some snacks at a concession stand, and then walking into the theatre to sit down for series of advertisements, movie trailers and a 90 minute feature film.

In 1932, a trip to the Roxy was almost infinitely more experiential. The two-hour program, designed around a feature film, would begin with an elaborate dance routine from the in-house ballet troupe. After the dancing came a news reel, which was followed by more live entertainment- this time a singing and dancing chorus. All the live entertainment was accompanied by the on-staff 110-piece symphony orchestra. 

Following the chorus, three beams of soft-colored light would shin on the three specially designed organ consoles that rose up from the orchestra pit. The organists would play to the audience before their consoles were once again lowered, leading into one or two classical pieces from the orchestra. Finally, after the orchestra completed, the feature film would be shown.

The two stage shows captured above, one a pastoral scene with chorus girls in floral costumes, the other an angular modernist piece with German Expressionist influence, give a glimpse into the highly specialized thematics involved in weekly stage productions like these.

(credit: American Theatre Architecture Archive, Theatre Historical Society of America)