Information
Landmark: Strand Capitol Performing Arts CenterCity: York City
Country: USA Pennsylvania
Continent: North America
Strand Capitol Performing Arts Center, York City, USA Pennsylvania, North America
Overview
At 50 North George Street in downtown York, Pennsylvania, the Strand Capitol complex-now called the Appell Center for the Performing Arts-brings together two beautifully restored historic theaters: the 1,262‑seat Strand Theatre, opened in 1925, and the more intimate 450‑seat Capitol Theatre, first opened in 1906 and rebuilt in 1925, where velvet curtains still frame the stage.Beneath marble columns and glittering crystal chandeliers, under a domed ceiling brushed with delicate neo‑classical scenes, the 1925 Wurlitzer pipe organ still whispers of vaudeville and silent films-but today those same stages host Broadway tours, Grammy winners, comedians, indie film festivals, and hometown productions almost every week.Step back to 1906, when York’s first “photoplay” house-the Jackson Theater-rose on the Capitol site, its brick walls fresh and smelling of mortar.• 1925: Local entrepreneur Nathan Appell commissions Baltimore architects J. In 1925, local entrepreneur Nathan Appell hired Baltimore architects J. Zink & Sons will build the Strand Theatre next door in a sweeping Italian Renaissance style, while crews tear down and rebuild the Capitol at the same time, giving York two glittering showplaces.• 1930s–1960s: The Strand thrives as York’s premier first-run movie palace, installing sound in 1929 and 70-mm projection in 1955.• 1976: Facing decline and threatened demolition, a citizens’ “Save the Strand” campaign forms a nonprofit and purchases the buildings for one dollar.• 2003–2006: An eighteen-million-dollar capital restoration replaces every seat, refurbishes plaster, installs a 52-line counterweight fly system, full digital audio, modern HVAC, and ADA elevators while preserving original gilding and walnut paneling.• 2017: After a transformative endowment from manufacturing magnate Louis Appell Jr., the complex adopts the name Appell Center for the Performing Arts.On opening night, over 2,000 people pack the hall for a silent comedy, the bright notes of the new Wurlitzer organ ringing through the air.From the 1930s through the 1960s, the Strand reigned as York’s top spot for first‑run films, adding crisp new sound in 1929 and massive 70‑mm projection in 1955.In 1976, as the Strand faced decay and the threat of a wrecking ball, local residents launched the “Save the Strand” campaign, formed a nonprofit, and bought the buildings for just one dollar.From 2003 to 2006, an $18 million restoration swapped out every seat, refreshed the plaster, added a 52-line counterweight fly system, full digital sound, modern HVAC, and ADA-compliant elevators-all while keeping the gleam of the original gilding and the warmth of walnut paneling.In 2017, after a generous endowment from manufacturing magnate Louis Appell Jr., the complex took on a new identity-the Appell Center for the Performing Arts, its doors soon gleaming with the fresh nameplate.The Strand Theatre boasts a forty-seven-foot proscenium, a stage stretching thirty feet deep, an orchestra pit that sinks smoothly on a hydraulic lift, and acoustics so finely tuned you can hear a violin’s softest note without a microphone.The fly loft soars over sixty feet high, tall enough to hide a full Broadway backdrop behind the curtain.Stage left holds eight star dressing rooms and a chorus suite, their doors lined up like quiet sentinels along the wall.Next door, the Capitol Theatre still shows off its Art Deco charm-bold geometric murals line the walls-while hosting digital films, intimate concerts, and a sprung wood dance floor that draws ballet troupes from across the region.The black-box studio can seat 125, with risers you can roll into place for cabarets, rehearsals, or youth workshops.Each season, Broadway in York hosts as many as six national touring shows-recent hits like *Hadestown*, *To Kill a Mockingbird*, *Dear Evan Hansen*, and *Mean Girls* have all lit up the stage.Concert nights might bring the roar of Kansas, the soulful guitar of Bonnie Raitt, Americana from Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, the bright brass of Wynton Marsalis with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, or the sweeping sound of the Harrisburg Symphony.The monthly “Laugh Loft” keeps comedy at the heart of the scene, bringing in touring headliners alongside local openers who warm up the crowd.• Public theater tours are offered free on the first Saturday of every month at eleven in the morning; reservations recommended because groups cap at twenty.• Parking is most convenient in the Market Street Garage half a block north-five-dollar flat rate evenings and weekends.Every Thursday, film lovers flock to the CapFilm series for 35‑mm classics one week, cult midnight shows the next, and the occasional family matinee with popcorn in hand.• Inside the main lobby a compact café pours regional craft beer, Pennsylvania wines, and espresso drinks ninety minutes pre-show; light bites include charcuterie cones and local bakery cupcakes.• Dining within a three-block radius ranges from rockfish tacos at Rockfish Public House to handmade pasta at Tutoni’s; many restaurants extend their kitchen hours for theatergoers, so ask your server.• Accessibility features include ramped orchestra entrances, dual elevators to the mezzanine and balcony, wheelchair and companion seating locations, infrared assistive-listening headsets, and open-caption or American Sign Language interpreted performances several times per season.• Dress code is relaxed-smart casual is standard-though opening nights and galas inspire cocktail attire; the 1920s décor rewards a bit of sartorial celebration.Our educational outreach packs a lot in-two weeks of summer youth musical fun, acting intensives for teens and adults, masterclasses led by Broadway cast members, and gentle, sensory-friendly shows created alongside local autism advocates.Planning your visit?The box office is open Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on show days it’s ready two hours before curtain until the lights dim.If you buy in person or over the phone, you skip the extra online processing fee-no surprise charges tacked on at checkout.You can scan a mobile QR code at the entrance to each aisle, though printed tickets are still available if you ask.Free public theater tours run the first Saturday of each month at 11 a.m., and with only twenty spots-picture the hush of an empty stage-it’s best to reserve ahead.
