The Everett

The Everett Theatre is a historic performing arts venue located in Middletown, Delaware, with a rich history dating back to its original opening in 1863 as the Town Hall and Opera House. The first building served as a cultural center and community meeting place until it was destroyed by a fire on December 31, 1918. A second structure was quickly built and opened on September 1, 1919, as a grand Opera House, but it too succumbed to fire on April 6, 1922. Determined to rebuild, the owner, John E. Lewis, consulted with prominent theater architects W.H. Hoffman and Paul J. Henon Jr. to design a fire-resistant building made of concrete and plaster. The new theater, constructed by Bader Construction Co. of Wilmington, Delaware, opened on November 9, 1922. The name "The Everett" was chosen by community vote in honor of John Everett Lewis, who played a crucial role in ensuring the theater's reconstruction. The Everett Theatre featured a fully equipped stage, dressing rooms, and a Moller Deluxe theatre pipe organ. Initially, it had a seating capacity of 750, with the original balcony seats still in use today. In 1935, financial difficulties led to the theater being auctioned off to George M. Schwartz, who owned it until 1983. During the 1940s, the theater underwent significant renovations, and the house organ was donated to a local church. The theater experienced a decline in the 1960s and 70s with the rise of television, leading to its closure in 1979. However, in 1981, a group of community members formed Associated Community Talents, Inc. (ACT, Inc.), which later became The Everett, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring the theater. Under the leadership of Ellen Combs Davis, they succeeded in purchasing and reviving the theater as a center for the performing arts. The Everett Theatre has continued to be supported by dedicated volunteers and remains a cultural hub in Middletown, offering films, live productions, art exhibits, and educational programs. In 2008, the theater's ceiling collapsed, prompting another fundraising effort to restore the venue, which reopened in 2009. The theater gained fame when it was featured in the film "Dead Poets Society" in 1989. On November 9, 2022, The Everett celebrated its centennial by recreating the original opening night from 1922, including the screening of the silent film "Under Two Flags" with live organ accompaniment and period-appropriate festivities, commemorating its storied past and ongoing contribution to the arts.