Palace Theatre - Norwalk, CT

The 1,149 seat Palace Theatre originally opened on December 21, 1914, in Norwalk, CT. It was known as “the theater you play before you play the Palace in New York.” Many famous vaudeville acts performed at the Palace over the years such as Harry Houdini, W.C Fields, Mae West, and Enrico Caruso. It’s rumored to have been one of the final places Houdini played before his death in 1926.

The Palace closed as a movie theater for the last time on August 28, 1966. It stayed closed until it was purchased by Russell Fratto in 1975. Fratto intended on turning the theater into a performing arts center and home for the ballet company he founded. Fratto was able to reopen it for the 1980-81 season but due to a recession, it closed again after that season. 

It was leased to the Palace Production Center (PPC) in 1983. PPC updated the electrical and HVAC systems and turned the auditorium into a sound stage. PPC purchased the building in 1985 and has operated the building ever since. It’s used for photoshoots, video shoots, and feature film productions.