The Circle Theatre was one of the first "motion picture palaces" in the Midwest and one of the first movie theaters west of New York.[3] The theatre also offered locally produced stage shows, such as the 1921 The Landing of the Pilgrims for Thanksgiving week.[4] In 1922, a $50,000 Wurlitzer organ was installed for use during silent films and solo performances.[4] In the summer of 1924, visiting musicians offered Circle patrons "syncopation seasons" with various jazz and popular music performances while the house concert orchestra was off.[4]Frank Sinatra and Dizzy Gillespie were two such visitors who held concerts in the theatre.[3]
On March 6, 1927, the Circle brought sound movies to the Indianapolis approximately fourteen months before other venues. Three musical film segments were shown: Roy Smeck playing the guitar, ukulele, and banjo; Giovanni Martinelli, a Metropolitan Opera tenor, singing I Pagliacci, and finally, Al Johnson, the blackface singing comedian. The Circle brought another first to the city in February 1928 by offering The Jazz Singer, a film with four talking and singing scenes starring Al Jolson.[4]
As multiscreen cinemas emerged in suburban malls throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the Circle Theatre fell into disrepair.[3][5]
Reopening on October 12, 1984 after a $6.8 million renovation, the Circle Theatre is home to the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.[3] In December 1996, it was renamed the Hilbert Circle Theatre after being endowed by Stephen Hilbert, founder of CNO Financial Group, and his wife Tomisue. The theatre holds 1,660 seats and has space for an 87-member ensemble. It is now home to a 3-manual 24-rank Wurlitzer theatre organ.[6]
Architecture
The theatre was designed by Indianapolis architects Rubus & Hunter.[5] Built in 1916, the building is a Neoclassical-revival with white glazed terra cotta entrance section with a brick auditorium section behind. The front façade is slightly curved. The theatre's interior was designed by architect Robert Adam and uses motifs from Greek, Etruscan and Pompeian artists.[5]
