ACADEMY THEATRE

Our History

In December of 1885, Ernest P. Hempstead presented the Academy of Music to the people of Meadville. This "splendid temple of amusement" was designed by architect J. M. Wood. From the time it opened, the Academy housed local productions and hosted touring vaudeville shows. In the early 1900s it began showing films, and through 1980 it was known mostly as a movie theater. After a fire in the mid-80s, a group of citizens came together to save the ailing building. These Friends of the Academy restored the theatre to its original beauty and since then it has regained its status as Meadville's home for all varieties of artistic and cultural events.

Our Mission

~ To be a recognized center for the performing arts in Northwest Pennsylvania, and an integral part of the regional arts community.

~ To perform in a fully functioning, comfortable and historically faithful facility.

~ To develop artistic appreciation and serve the cultural, social and educational needs of an expanding audience.

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