Fischer Theatre

History April 1884 The Danville Opera House Company was organized with a capital stock of $35,000 divided among 50 persons in the sum of 7 shares each. The building cost $28,000 including furnishings, scenery and equipment. The lot was purchased for $6,000 from R. W. Gillette. On the lot was a house, barn, woodshed and hen house surrounded by an iron fence. It was the former residence of Dr. W. W. R. Woodbury, a prominent Danville physician. The original building was 65 feet wide and 127 feet long. The foundation was 4 feet wide butting up to a base two feet wide which was carried up to the first tier of joists. From this point up to about 20 feet in height the walls are 20 inches thick, and from there to the top 16 inches thick. The red brick walls were trimmed with Bedford stone from nearby Indiana. November 5, 1884 The Grand Opening was held. The Commercial News described the theatre as "both spacious and elegant". It describes heavy draperies on the stage in blue and gold. "The drop curtains, Oriental in design, depict a large Moorish arch through which is seen a Turkish city with its domes and minarets. In the foreground are ships and boats." It also noted that there was a perfect view of the stage no matter where one was seated. The Grand Opening feature was the Emma Abbott Grand English Opera Company presenting "King for a Day". Receipts were $1,001.75. The house netted $ 59.65. It seemed political excitement was a distraction that night, for it was election night and grover Cleveland was to be the first Democrat elected since the Civil War. There was a seating capacity of 1,100 December 7, 1885 Lillian Russell performed. The house lost $1.20. A critic wrote "Miss Russell can sing, when she wants to, and act well, but last evening she seemed not to care whether she pleased the audience or not". June 7th, 1888 The last Danville High School graduating class from the old Washington School held commencement exercises in the theatre. The people of Vermilion County were treated to a variety of stage plays in those early days. The Minstrels always drew a crowd. When the Burton and Wilsons Minstrels performed in December 18, 1884, when the temperature was 15 below zero, they drew a large attendance. The Waverly Minstrels grossed over $400.00 for the house, when they performed on December 28, 1888. The old ledgers for the theatre are now at the Vermilion County Museum. October 26 and 27, 1889 The first movie held at the theatre was shown by the International Cinegraph Company of New York. It was the Fitzsimmons-Jeffries fight held earlier in the year on June 9 at Coney Island. April 16, 1907 The Grand Opera House was sold to George W. Chatterton, Sr. of Springfield, Illinois May 1912 Mr. Chatterton sold his interest to Louis F. Fischer. The theatre was closed for remodeling and structural renovation. The building was enlarged by 40 feet to the West and the stage was moved back the same distance to provide more seating space. The entrance was changed to Harrison Street. A new facade was made on Vermilion Street and four first floor storefronts were created on Vermilion Street. A new balcony was added. There was a new mezzanine floor with 100 boxes (loges) that would seat 6 people each. The Lyric Theatre next door, which opened in 1906, was also remodeled. The cost for both theatres was $100,000. March 13, 1913 The Grand opening of the "new" Fischer Theater. 1929 The Fischer and Palace (former Lyric Theatre) theatres were sold to the Publix Great State Theatres. The following changes were made to the Fischer Theater. The entrance on Harrison Street was changed back to Vermilion Street. The lobby was enlarged by absorbing two of the four storefronts created in 1912. The ticket booth now faced the outside. There was a new Marquis, the largest in town, and state-of-the-art motion picture equipment was added. All the vintage movies, "Gone With the Wind", "The Wizard of Oz", "Singing in the Rain", etc was shown at the Fischer. 1938 Air conditioning was installed in the theatre

The Grand Opera House was not only a theatre, it housed offices and residences on it 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors. In 1915 Boston Academy of Music and Knecht Apartments were on the 3rd and 4th floors. The Vermilion Street shops were: Opera House Cloak and Suit Store, Glasgo Tailors, Adolph Alfiere - Convectioners and Miss Myra Wilson (Wilson Co.) Milliners In 1931 the 3rd and 4th floors were the Portia Club Furnished Rooms for Women. The 2nd and 3rd floors were occupied by a blue print company, May Belle Cook Beauty Shop, Fidelity Insurance and Publix Theatres. Doctors, dentists, insurance companies and even an U.S.A. Recruiting Service occupied these upper floors until 1961. The Vermilion Street shops have been occupied by candy shops, jewelers, barbers, and optometrist. etc.

World War II	Thousands of dollars were raised to buy War Bonds by auctioneers Rodgers and Ward on stage selling donated items. Many patriotic movies were shown during the war years
1968	Last major refurbishing. The H.R. Teichert Company of Chicago painted the interior with a subtle gold design.
1971	The Kerasotes Theatres of Springfield, Illinois purchased the Fischer and Palace theatres
1974	"The Longest Yard" was shown testing the city ordinance banning R-rated movies. Commissioner David Palmer remarked, "the thing I find most objectionable was the foul language".
September 4, 1981	It was announced the Fischer Theatre would close. Two weeks later it was announced it would reopen as a dollar house.
January 5, 1982	The Fischer Theatre was closed. Keresotes Theatres took seats, boiler and everything else they could use and sell out of the theatre.
1983	The City of Danville now owned the theatre. Vermilion Heritage Foundation was formed to restore the theatre. The five Danville stars, Donald O'Connor, Bobby Short, Dick Van Dyke, Jerry Van Dyke and Gene Hackman came to Danville to do a benefit for the theatre. Approximately $400,000 was raised at the time. Because an expected state grant did not come through, little was done to restore the theatre, and some donations were shifted to other charities.
1997	It was announced the building was unstable and should be destroyed. Old Town Preservation Association pleaded to have the building saved. The City of Danville gave the theatre to the Old Town Preservation Association. This group set about having the necessary structural work done to make the building stable..

June 1998

The Old Town Preservation Organization sold the building to the Vermilion Heritage Foundation so the funds raised by the stars' benefit could be used to start renovation to the lobby area of the theatre. Many of the members of the Board of Directors of the Vermilion Heritage Foundation are Old Town Preservation members. The renovation and expansion of the lobby was completed, including refurbishing and replacing the tin ceiling, new heating and air conditioning, and the creation of  a concession area. A donated boiler and theatre seats have been installed.