Have an Account?
| Register Now

Remove ads with our VIP Service

Theater Managers:
Add Showtimes & Information

Get Facebook Links

State Theatre and Community Center
316 Eau Claire Street
Eau Claire, WI 54701
more »

Add Theater to Favorites


Opened January 19, 1926 as the State Theatre. Last showed movies in 1982 and became a performing arts venue with mainly live performances, which closed in 2018. It opened in October 2019 as the State Theatre and Community Center.

Reader VoiceComments from Our Readers

This feature is intended for our readers to share their experiences at movie theaters, in the hopes that theaters providing good presentations will be highlighted as well as those that need improvement to meet the expectations of their customers.

This is not a forum for bashing on a theater, but rather a place for your experiences (both good and bad) to be noted for other readers to see. If you had a problem at a theater, we encourage you to contact that theater using the information on their Contact Information page. Most theaters are very interested in hearing feedback from their customers.

Add Your Comments

Please Note: These comments are submitted by the readers of The BigScreen Cinema Guide and represent their own personal opinions, and do not represent the views of The BigScreen Cinema Guide, or any of its associated entities.

Oct 15, 2019 (> 1 year ago) - Scott Jentsch VIP Member

From the History section of the Eau Claire Regional Arts Center web site, which appears to have been last updated in 2018, before the theater closed on August 31, 2018:

Eau Claire's historic State Theatre first opened as a vaudeville theatre in 1926. No expense had been spared in erecting the $315,000 (1920's dollars) Theatre, one of nearly one hundred built by the theatre enterprise of Finkelstein and Ruben in Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The Theatre was described as the "brightest gem in the glittering chain of Finkelstein and Ruben amusement palaces," according to the 1926 Eau Claire Leader. The theatre was designed to handle all attractions booked from vaudeville agencies in Chicago. Vaudeville shows were held on Friday and Saturday evenings.

The history of the Eau Claire Regional Arts CenterThe first curtain rose at the State Theatre at 7 pm on January 19, 1926, and offered the audience a two-hour show, the highlight of which was a vaudeville act, "Classified," starring Corinne Griffith as Babs Comet. Theatre-goers that evening were also treated to performances by the State Concert Orchestra, Richard Bach, who offered his musical interpretation of "Movies" on the Wurlitzer organ, and 18 singers, dancers, and comedians who performed "A Syncopated Menu" Jazz Revue.

Several years after opening, the State Theatre was converted to a movie house, operating for decades and bringing Chippewa Valley movie-goers major hits of the 20th century, including Jaws and Star Wars. The movie house closed in 1982, but the facility was used occasionally for community events.

In 1984, the theatre was donated to a group of arts-minded community members who had formed the Eau Claire Regional Arts Council (ECRAC), on the condition that they restore the theatre and transform it once again into a center for artistic expression. The structure was, by now, in need of major repairs and became the focus of a community capital campaign initiated by the Arts Council. The drive was dubbed "State of the Arts," and sought to raise funds for the renovation project. "Restoring the State to an exact replica of its former self was neither possible nor desirable," according to the renovation's lead architect. "The original walls and ceiling were obscured by later renovations and pulling down that work would have been a project in itself. We're approximating what was originally built by restoring the classical style within a deco shell." Area individuals, corporations, foundations, and other organizations funded the project which refurbished 1,098-seat theatre and its adjacent offices. The newly renovated State Theatre reopened its doors in 1986 with performances of "Cinderella" by the Chippewa Valley Theatre Guild.

Today, still owned and operated by ECRAC and known as the Eau Claire Regional Arts Center, the State Theatre complex provides a home base for local arts organizations, gallery space for area professional artists, a 1,098-seat theatre for regional and national touring shows, and countless opportunities for everyone in the Chippewa Valley to enrich their lives through arts.



Add Your Comments

Please login
Commenting on Theaters is available only to our readers who have customized this site, which makes it easier for you to complete the form and for us to contact you with any questions or concerns about your comments.

Please login or register a new account before continuing.


Already Registered?

Log in to retrieve your saved settings.

E-Mail Address:
BigScreen Passcode:

Forget Your Passcode?

Send My Passcode To Me

Not Registered? Create a New Account!

E-Mail Address
In case we need to contact you. A valid E-Mail address is required, profiles with invalid addresses will be removed.
Please Confirm Your E-Mail Address
ZIP Code
This helps us display theaters that are near you.

Our registered members enjoy more features, including:

  • Save Your Location -- the site remembers your location, no having to re-enter it each time you visit
  • Favorite Theaters List -- keep a handy list of the theaters you attend
  • Favorite Movies List - movies you want to see, all in one place
  • Write Movie Reviews -- share your opinions of the movies you see
  • Block Ads with VIP Service -- view this site ad free (subscription req'd)

Basic accounts are free -- sign up today!

Concerned About Privacy?

So are we! We won't sell, trade, or share your personal information with anyone unless required by law. For more information, please read our Privacy Policy.


The Marquee > By Region > Wisconsin > Eau Claire > Eau Claire

This movie theater is near Eau Claire, Altoona, Fall Creek, Chippewa Falls, Chippewa Fls.




Home - About Us - Feedback
News Headlines - Theaters - Movies - Reader Reviews - Movie Links
Your Account - VIP Service

The BigScreen Cinema Guide is a service of SVJ Designs LLC. All graphics, layout, and structure of this service (unless otherwise specified) are Copyright © 1995-2024, SVJ Designs. The BigScreen Cinema Guide is a trademark of SVJ Designs. All rights reserved.

'ACADEMY AWARDS®' and 'OSCAR®' are the registered trademarks and service marks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Find Us on Facebook
Find Us on Instagram