Allendale Theatre

One of Buffalo’s first neighborhood theatres, the Allendale was built in 1913 for $45,000 by clothing retailer Levin Michaels. The Neo-Classical Revival style theatre included gold trimmed walls, leaded glass windows and a stunning domed ceiling with dozens of modern light bulbs. At first, the popular movie house specialized in silent films and photoplays of Broadway productions, with a custom-built symphonic organ for accompaniment. In 1919, the owner added a lavish proscenium stage and dressing rooms that attracted the Buffalo Players (a local theatre group including members of the Knox, Schoellkopf and other prominent families), as well as national acts such as the Barrymore brothers and W.C. Fields.

The years were not kind to The Allendale Theatre. Fortunately, the Allentown Association saved it from certain demolition. The questions were: now that the building was saved, who would restore it and what would its function be? In 1986, Theatre of Youth (TOY) entered into a partnership with the City of Buffalo to raise funds and renovate the theatre for its permanent home.