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Historic Canton Theatre

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For over 100 years, the Historic Canton Theatre has been a shining star for entertainment in the Canton community. The Theatre has become a community fixture, providing guests the opportunity to enjoy live theatre from both local and traveling productions, as well as entertainment from musicians, comedians and film screening events. We can't wait to welcome you through our doors!

Upcoming Showings and Productions

We Will Speak: Film Screening and Q&A

In partnership with the Funk Heritage Center, Georgia Chapter of the Trail of Tears Association, and the City of Canton, History Cherokee presents a free-to-attend screening of Blurry Pictures latest documentary, "We Will Speak."
Join us on Tuesday, January 23 at 6:30 p.m. at the Historic Canton Theatre for the screening followed by a Q&A from the creators of the film. Pre-registration is required to attend and seating is on a first-come, first-serve basis.
About the Film:
The Cherokee language is deeply tied to Cherokee identity; yet generations of assimilation efforts by the U.S. government and anti-Indigenous stigmas have forced the Tri-Council of Cherokee tribes to declare a State of Emergency for the language in 2019. While there are 430,000 Cherokee citizens in the three federally recognized tribes, fewer than an estimated 1,500 fluent speakers remain—the majority of whom are elderly. The covid pandemic has unfortunately hastened the course. Language activists, artists, and the youth must now lead the charge of urgent radical revitalization efforts to help save the language from the brink of extinction.
This feature-length documentary was shot on-location in Oklahoma and North Carolina throughout 2019-2022; through intimate interviews, vérité footage of community gatherings, and extensive archival materials, the film explores the nuanced ways the Cherokee language is vital to maintaining a unique cultural identity and relationship with the world. The collaborative project is also meant to act as an empowering agent of hope for Indigenous voices despite enduring inequity and oppression
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History of the Theatre

Canton Theatre logo Blk (1)As early as 1911, the Historic Canton Theatre was used to show slides and silent movies. Later, in the early 1920s, the Theatre changed owners and was renamed “The Bonita,” which held movie showings on Fridays and Saturdays.

During this era, the popularity of the Theatre grew rapidly. The Theatre was soon renovated, expanded, and renamed  “The Haven.” It presented the people of Canton first line shows, including their first talking motion picture, the 1928 film “Singing Fool,” starring famous singing star Al Jolson.

The “Haven” continued to be a movie house for several more years until the late 1930s, when the Theatre was sold to the Martin-Thompson Theatre Company. The newly named “Canton Theatre” was then remodeled to reflect the Art Deco design so popular during that time.

The spectacular new Theatre had improvements that were truly unique, such as a steel skeleton for improved stability and safety. The fireproof walls and sprinkler system ensured that no fire would last long. New air conditioning and heating systems were installed in the Theatre to make it more comfortable for larger audiences. New restrooms and dressing rooms had a modernistic design. Red and blue uniformed employees at the “Candy Bar” sold candy and popcorn from the new popper, while an array of bright neon lights surrounded the Theatre, bathing it in colorful beauty. The size of the stage was expanded to make it larger than ever before. The new Canton Theatre was indeed a splendid site at the Grand Opening, which took place on September 30, 1940.

The Canton Theatre played the best motion pictures of the time. It was described as a “thoroughly modern sound and movie palace, with all the comfort, light, and cheer that denotes a first class picture theatre housed in the "larger cities.”

The Theatre continued to show movies for 30 more years, but by the mid 1970s, the popularity of the Theatre declined dramatically. Many guests felt that it had become too out of date. They wanted to see movies with the convenience of drive-ins and with many more choices. As a result, the Theatre sat idle for many years and subsequently went into disrepair.

In 1994, the Theatre was purchased by an individual for restoration. The City of Canton then acquired the property in a land swap in 1997. It was later deeded to the Downtown Development Authority in order to secure financing for restoration, which soon began. The Canton Theatre was restored to the Art Deco style of the 1930s and was reopened in a Dedication Ceremony, taking place on May 26, 2000.

Since that time, the Canton Theatre has become a community fixture, providing guests the opportunity to enjoy live theatre from both local and traveling productions, as well as entertainment from musicians, comedians and film screening events.