Capitol Theatre Turns 90 Today

Warren Harding just became the nation’s 29th president.

Charlie Chaplin was “The Kid.”

And it was the year the Capitol Theatre came to downtown Clearwater.

The fledgling city - not quite six years old - now had a modern vaudeville and movie house in the heart of its downtown. And today, the theater will be honored for its 90th birthday.

Sen. John Taylor had the movie house built during the city's first boom. Movies ran throughout the week and vaudeville performances were Friday night, according to an Oct. 28, 1921 edition of the St. Petersburg Times.

It was the decade of flappers, talkies and “Steamboat Willie," but in time the movie palace went bust.

The Capitol became the Royalty Theatre in 1981. Patrons could buy tickets to see stage shows and musicals performed by local theatre groups.

The Taylor family held the lease on the theatre until they sold it in 1996. By 2008, the theater was facing foreclosure.

Clearwater designated both the theater and the adjacent Lokey building historic structures in 2009, according to the Tampa Bay Informer. Later in the year Ruth Eckerd Hall purchased both buildings.

The movie house's original name was restored. And plans were announced to restore the theater including transforming the Lokey building into a lobby and restrooms for the Capitol.

As part of its renaissance Cleveland Street businesses are throwing the nonagenarian theater a street festival-style birthday party, complete with birthday cake and music.

Also, catch the Shiek, as part of the series at 7:30 p.m.