Hershey Theatre - Hershey, Pennsylvania - Concert and Show Venue

Hershey Theatre is located on Caracas Avenue in downtown Hershey, Pennsylvania. The theatre features many touring Broadway shows, classical music and dance attractions, and world-renowned entertainers. There are easy drop-off and pick up points at the front entrance, whilst free parking is conveniently located close to the Theatre entrance with free bus and van parking also available.

The theatre was the brainchild of entrepreneur and philanthropist Milton S. Hershey and his plans for the Community Center Building were drawn up in 1915. The building was not completed until 1933, fours years after work started, and cost the princely sum of $3 million as part of Hershey's building campaign for the Great Depression, which provided work for 600 skilled workers. The theatre was part of the Community Center and became a major draw for leading performers and shows from around the world.

The architecture of the building is designed in a very elegant style starting in the Grand Lobby with the floor made from Italian lava rock. The walls are shaped with four different types of marble and a series of arches. There are wonderful images of pastoral scenes and war chariots on the ceiling too.

The inner foyer's gold arched tile ceiling design was based on St. Mark's Cathedral in Venice, a city Hershey was very fond of. The blue and gold mosaic design leading to the main seating floor area took two years to complete. The main level of the auditorium carries on the theme with a winged lion mounted above the stage and the six ton fire curtain has a water color scene from Venice painted on it.

The stage measures 75 feet from wall to wall, and 44 feet from the apron to the back wall. There are five elevators attached to the stage, which can rise to a maximum height of seven feet. The elevator at the back of the stage can be moved below stage level, enabling the movement of scenery to and from storage.

Movies can be shown at the theatre by lowering a screen on to a steel frame on the stage. Hershey also commissioned a concert organ with over 4000 pipes, with the largest being over 30 feet tall. The entertainers are accommodated in five floors of dressing rooms.

Aside from the numerous Broadway shows, concerts and other entertainment performed by world renowned artists at the theatre, there is a tour of the building provided for groups. It gives visitors and/or students a chance to look behind the scenes to see how the shows are staged. The tour also provides an insight in to the vision of the theatre's founder, its history and information on the building architecture.

For those wanting to dine before a performance at the theatre there are nine restaurants at Hershey resorts with the options of gourmet dining, family meals, late night cocktails and light snacks. The Theatre offers a wide variety of space for meetings and buffet style receptions. There are four rooms that can be hired separately or combined as one for larger events.