Oakland’s Paramount Theater
An Art Deco Treasure and a Great Venue for Concerts, Films and Much More!
In the 1930s, Art Deco construction took off in the United States, with theaters, office buildings, apartment complexes and other types of buildings featuring architectural flourishes of this unique and distinctive style. Sadly, many Art Deco treasures have been lost to wrecking balls and decay over the last few decades but the Bay Area still has many excellent examples. One of the best examples of Bay Area Art Deco buildings is the Paramount Theater in Oakland. Finished in 1931, the Paramount exemplifies the type of Art Deco theater once found on most major American cities. Like many other theater built during this time, the Paramount fell into disrepair during the 60s and 70s and only a motivated group of preservationists saved it from demolition.
These preservationists from the City of Oakland, the Oakland Symphony, and private donors took action and by the end of 1973, the Paramount Theater had undergone a complete and authentic restoration down to the last detail. Their attention to detail was so accurate that the venue was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1977.
Nearly forty years after it was saved, the Paramount Theater is one of many cultural jewels of the Bay Area and a thriving performance venue with a full schedule of events every month of the year. When it is not hosting concerts, theatrical performances, comedy shows, dance recitals and other live performances, it also shows films, just as it did when it opened in 1931.
So if you’re in the East Bay area and have an affinity for the grand movie palaces of the 30s, you should check the Paramount’s performance schedule at http://www.paramounttheatre.com/schedule.html and visit the venue at 2025 Broadway in Oakland. You’ll find world-class talent and performances in a variety of different disciplines and one step into the magnificent lobby will transport you to a time when builders and designers had a keen eye for detail and the skills to bring their ideas to fruition. For a double dose of nostalgia, visit the Paramount during one of the frequent classic movie nights. You’ll never look at a sterile modern multiplex the same way again!