Take yourself back to a time a bit more slow-paced and simple where a theater did not have 18 different screens, the smell of heavily buttered popcorn that you are charged $5 for, sound systems, or even admission equaled to the cost of several meals from McDonalds.
Instead picture a theater ith a creative scheme, a “majestic playhouse” with a brightly lit marquee and 4,500 lights, a Flemish-tiled vestibule with marble ornamental plaster ceiling, an auditorium with an opera-like balcony with gold, ivory and rose lights and a red velour draped stage with chandeliers that sparkled in the light.
All of this grandeur to host not only movies, but also plays, musicals, operas, vaudeville, road shows, concerts, speeches, animal acts, and wrestling matches for an admission of 50 cents.
Yes, folks, this building is the Paramount Theater of downtown St. Cloud, first known as the Sherman Theater.
Since its opening in 1921, the Paramount has changed hands and has been forced to evolve to battle the test of time and the advances in technology.
The theater was not the only of its kind in St. Cloud but was by far the most magnificent and rivaled the Orpheum theater in Minneapolis.
Nick Clasemann, SCSU senior and performer at the Paramount appreciates what it adds to St. Cloud.
“There is an old theater type of a feel, with a beautiful lighting piece above your head as you sit in the seats.
The old molding and blue and gold color scheme really bring the theater back to it’s glory days,” Clasemann said. “The lighting is strategically placed and allows for the maximum viewing pleasure of those on stage and those in attendance.” The total cost to construct such an elaborate building was about $200,000, which doubled its original budget according to a Dec. 24, 1921 article of the St. Cloud Daily Times.
When the Sherman Theater opened its doors, it was one of six theaters in St. Cloud, but Tony Goddard, current Executive Director of the theater, said that the Sherman was the biggest one and all of the premium acts would perform there.
It was also the only to survive because it was built for venues other than just the silent movies.
On July 20, 1930, St. Cloud residents read headlines saying “Theater Close, Will Be Rebuilt.”
Also, the Sherman closed only to re-open three weeks later because the management thought that in order to keep serving St. Cloud they needed to renovate their own technology to meet the rapidly changing society.
When the theater was in its prime, it was the center of St. Cloud’s downtown hustle and bustle and hosted 21- hour days of art, frenzy and exhilarating entertainment.
The Paramount also played a key role during the Great Depression and WWII as it hosted rallies and performances.
As society changed, and movies became more popular, attendance to the theater declined and almost led to its demise.
The Paramount no longer hosted many events other than movies and had to keep up with the moving trend toward multiscreen theaters.
“The theater did not survive well because of the newer movie theaters that came into town,” Goddard said. “There was a shift away from Vaudeville and more people became accustomed to movies.”
In the early 1980s the theater was seen as an obscure entity of the past. In a St. Cloud Daily Times article on July 17, 1979, columnist Bob Epstein presented argument that, “[The Paramount] is but a ghost of what she once was.
Only a fraction of the numbers who widely embraced her in the 1920s see her today.
Her life seemingly could be measured, if not in days, then in years.”
The Paramount defied Epstein’s predictions and has become a vibrant place for St. Cloud and surrounding area residents to enjoy the fine arts.
According to the Paramount Theater’s Web site, the theater was repaired and upgraded adequately to provide a home to live theater again and the renovation returned as a cultural centerpiece of downtown St. Cloud.
To make this possible, task force groups and fundraising events were organized and volunteer efforts were a key part in rebuilding the pride of St. Cloud again.
It is said that the finances are one of the hardest parts of the theater. It requires a lot of money and a lot of people to keep it going.
“Its hard to compete with the Parkwood because it has many screens and its hard to cater to college students because they can find entertainment elsewhere,” Goddard said.
Having a theater in St. Cloud adds a whole new dimension to the entertainment scene and the downtown area.
“People get to see live professional shows in a first class place with first class sound, Goddard continues, “It also is a great resource for downtown’s economy.”
“I think that the Paramount allows for the arts to be heard,” Clasemann said. “Many people get distracted by the whole “bar scene” in downtown St. Cloud, and the Paramount allows for an escape from that.”
Clasemann goes onto say, “Not only can you go and enjoy a theatrical performance on their stage, but the community can become involved with art classes in the basement. The Paramount is a great way for students to get involved in something other that athletics, and it truly allows them to see life in an artistic way.”
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