Union County Performing Arts Center

{{Infobox NRHP

| name = Rahway Theatre

| nrhp_type = nrhp

| image = Rahway_theatre.jpg

| caption = Facade of the Rahway Theatre

| location = 1601 Irving St., Rahway, New Jersey

| coordinates = {{coord|40|36|37|N|74|16|39|W|display=inline,title}}

| locmapin = USA New Jersey Union County#New Jersey#USA

| built = {{Start date|1927}}

| architect = David M Oltarsh

| architecture = Classical Revival

| added = August 13, 1986

| refnum = 86001509

| designated_other1_name = New Jersey Register of Historic Places

| designated_other1_abbr = NJRHP

| designated_other1_link = New Jersey Register of Historic Places

| designated_other1_date = June 24, 1986

| designated_other1_number = 2714{{cite web | title=New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places – Union County | url=http://www.nj.gov/dep/hpo/1identify/nrsr_lists/union.pdf | publisher=New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection – Historic Preservation Office | page=9 | date=November 28, 2016 | accessdate=2016-12-10 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016010040/http://www.nj.gov/dep/hpo/1identify/nrsr_lists/union.pdf | archivedate=October 16, 2014 }}

| designated_other1_num_position = bottom

| designated_other1_color = #ffc94b

| website = {{URL|http://www.ucpac.org/}}

}}

File:Panorama of the Hamilton Stage at UCPAC.jpg

File:Hamilton Stage for the Performing Arts in Rahway, New Jersey.jpg

Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC), formerly the "movie palace" known as the Rahway Theatre, is a non-profit performance venue in Rahway, New Jersey, a small city west of Staten Island that was recently named "#2 Best Small Town Arts Scene" in the country by USA Today.{{Cite web|date=2021-06-20|title=16 Free Outdoor Art Events In Rahway This Summer|url=https://www.newjerseystage.com/articles/2021/06/20/16-free-outdoor-art-events-in-rahway-this-summer|access-date=2021-07-24|website=NewJerseyStage.com|language=en}} As of the early 2020s, downtown Rahway has become a regional hub in the performing and visual arts.{{Cite web|last=NJ.com|first=Brianna Kudisch {{!}} NJ Advance Media for|date=2020-02-15|title=This small N.J. city has been quietly reinventing itself into an arts hub|url=https://www.nj.com/union/2020/02/this-small-nj-city-has-been-quietly-reinventing-itself-into-an-arts-hub.html|access-date=2021-07-24|website=nj|language=en}} It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.{{Cite web|url=http://focus.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/86001509|title=NATIONAL REGISTER DIGITAL ASSETS|last=|first=|date=|website=focus.nps.gov|publisher=|access-date=2016-12-10}}

History

It was founded as the vaudeville venue and silent movie house Rahway Theater in 1928 as an ornate movie palace.1928 Wurlitzer pipe organ that 'saved' Union County arts center plays again http://s.nj.com/YcwCJSU. It contains an original, working, fully restoredhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHfgA6dVUcQ&sns=tw via @youtube Wurlitzer pipe organ which was placed on the American Theatre Organ Society's National Registry of Significant Instruments.{{Cite web|url=http://www.atos.org/programs-awards/national-registry|title=ATOS National Registry {{!}} ATOS|website=www.atos.org|access-date=2016-12-10}} It is an example of "Movie Palace" architecture, designed in the classical revival style by New York architect David M. Oltarsh.

In 2006, at the behest of Rahway's then-mayor James J. Kennedy, the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders invested $6.2 million in the renovation of the UCPAC Mainstage (Rahway Theater). The building fell into dilapidation as a movie house in the 1970s. It was reopened by local nonprofit preservation group in 1984,{{Cite web|url=http://njtoday.net/2008/03/19/freeholders-unveil-arts-center-renovations/|title=Freeholders Unveil Arts Center}} and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.

Facilities

The UCPAC campus includes four performance spaces:

=Mainstage=

Capacity: 1334

= Hamilton Stage=

Renovated in 2023-24 and built in 2012 abutting the Rahway River several hundred feet to the west of Mainstage, the Hamilton Stage features a new fully equipped proscenium theater.

Capacity: 199

=The Loft at Mainstage=

Capacity: 65. Built in 2008, the Loft at UCPAC is located on the 2nd floor addition of the UCPAC Mainstage.

=The Fazioli Room at Hamilton Stage=

This 40’ x 60’ rehearsal space has floor-to-ceiling conservatory windows and wall-length mirrors on one side. It holds 55–75 (at maximum).

This room contains a Fazioli piano, one of only two in New Jersey.At a Jazz Series, a Piano Also Stars https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/nyregion/at-a-nj-jazz-series-a-fazioli-piano-also-stars.html

=The Café at UCPAC=

Hosts the Jazz Club at UCPAC.

Programming

Well-known music and comedy acts have included Johnny Cash, Martina McBride, Willie Nelson, B.B. King, Joan Jett, Joan Rivers, Louie Anderson, Sinbad, Cedric the Entertainer, Pat Benatar, Kenny Rogers, Lance Bass, Eddie Money, En Vogue, Starship, Otown, Aaron Carter, Ryan Cabrera, Bowling for Soup, Vanessa Williams,Union County Performing Arts Center welcomes Vanessa Williams on Nov. 25 http://s.nj.com/YIqoRVN Doug E. Fresh, Mark McGrath and Slick Rick.Hip-hop legends will 'Get Fresh' at UCPAC in Rahway on May 15 http://s.nj.com/wkeIpQg Cranford Local Magazine. UCPAC Ready to Expand Shows Post-Pandemic: New Leadership Sees Promising Times Ahead. April 2022 https://view.flipdocs.com/?ID=10027841_558050

Film

The Main Stage at UCPAC in Rahway, as a former "classic movie palace," is the only New Jersey theater showing classic 35mm films, generally preceded by organ performances on the venue's original Wurlitzer theater organ.{{Cite web|url=https://ucpac.org/35mm-classic-film-series/|title=35mm Classic Film Series -|date=August 3, 2023|website=ucpac.org}}

The UCPAC Film Festival is held at the venue.

Rahway Arts District

The UCPAC area hosts many art galleries, converted industrial warehouse spaces, and rehearsal/studio space. In 2020, downtown Rahway received accolades as a Great Downtown by the APA:

"Downtown Rahway is a great place. It is a place that emphasizes livability, walkability, shopping, food, art, diversity and a destination. Centered in the heart of the bustling City of Rahway, next to the NJ Transit Station, Rahway's downtown is the building block for this diverse city."{{Cite web|title=Congratulations to our 2020 Great Places in New Jersey Designees {{!}} Great Places in New Jersey|url=https://greatplacesnj.org/2020-designees/|access-date=2021-07-24|language=en-US}}

=The Willows Residence for the Arts=

The city of Rahway and UCPAC in association with the Actors Fund has built safe affordable housing for artists only. Tenant applicants need to submit a portfolio of work to indicate their vocation and be assigned to a waitlist.{{Cite web|url=http://www.rahwayrising.com/artist-housing-gains-final-site-plan-approval/|title = Artist housing gains final site plan approval|date = 21 March 2016}}

Transportation

UCPAC is walking distance to the direct train at Rahway Station to New York Penn Station. The ride is [https://apps.cdnini.com/i/ce76e7d02d7590932b2d311c71587390981726e9.jpg 38 minutes].