The Historic Polk Theatre presents live performances and films year round. The theatre is also available to rent for business meetings, theatrical productions, weddings, private film screenings, receptions, fundraisers and dance recitals.
The Polk Theatre was built during a golden age in the United States - the stock market had yet to crash ( though the boom had ended in Florida) and the clouds of World War II were not yet on the horizon. Even so, it was quite a leap of faith to build a vaudeville/movie palace in Lakeland in 1928. The population hovered at only 15,000 people and it was a rural community.
So build it they did, and it was a place of magic and wonder! The architect, J.E. Casale, an Italian-born immigrant, recreated a Mediterranean village in the heart of Central Florida. Flanked by Italianate walls with niches, sconces, and faux balconies and windows, the patron’s eye was drawn toward the stage and the full scale Italian renaissance “townhouse” setting that dominates the Polk’s interior.
The two most impressive technological features of the Polk were the theatre’s 100 ton air wash system to chill the air, and its Vitaphone sound on reel film system. The air conditioning system was such a drain on the city’s power supply that during its early years of operation it caused lights to dim all across town when turned on. It also required an operator to turn it on and off. When it became too cold, an usher ran down to the basement to tell the operator to shut the system down.
The Theatre is supported by revenue from films, its Performing Arts Series, two fundraisers a year, rental income, and memberships. Last year, 30,000 people attended events at the Polk.
