Company/Organization Profiles | Theatres

Reopening the Jewel Box

1 Dec , 2002  

Written by Amy Roeder | Posted by:

Independent movies and an eclectic array of live entertainment breathe new life into Providence, RI’s formerly X-rated Columbus Theatre.

With recent offerings ranging from a live concert of Mediterranean soul music to Margaret Cho’s stand-up comedy film "Notorious C.H.O.," Providence’s Columbus Theatre is shedding its recent image and reintroducing itself to the community.

The Columbus Theatre first opened its doors on November 1, 1926 in the historically Italian neighborhood of Federal Hill. Originally sporting an appropriate 1,492 seats, this grand old theater features stained-glass archways and a Wurlitzer Organ. The Columbus thrived at first, but was forced to close in the 1950s when its audience eroded with the advent of television.

The theater experienced a new life in 1962 when Jon Berberian’s father bought it for him at an auction. Jon and his wife Betty, both singers with the New York Metropolitan Opera, returned to Providence to stage live performances at their theater. They brought back films to the venue the following year, but when first-run features proved too expensive, and second-run films too unprofitable, they decided to take their film bookers unorthodox suggestion.

Starting with the Swedish film "The Doll," the Columbus began to show "risqué" films. Adult films — which, in the 1960s meant weird, sexy foreign films like "I am Curious (Yellow)" and Russ Meyer sexploitation romps — were fashionable with sexual revolution-era audiences, and overnight, the theater’s business exploded.

The Berberians converted the theater’s balcony into another screen, making them Rhode Island’s first multiplex. The crowds kept coming for a time, but as competition for both audiences and film product increased, the Berberians were forced to start showing more explicit films in order to save the theater.

The switch in product assured the Columbus’ survival for the short term; however, it created a stigma for the theater and forced Berberian to tangle with politicians bent on "cleaning up" the city. When the adult video boom killed audiences for the films nationwide, the Columbus once again struggled to stay afloat.

The theater’s latest upswing began in the summer of 2000, when it hosted a cutting edge film series presented by the group Picture Start. With an influx of young people in the neighborhood who were unconcerned with the Columbus’ stigma, the time was right for a change. That year, the Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF) presented their Lifetime Achievement Award to Patricia Neal at the Columbus, and has since made the theater its official home. "Our goal is simple," said Michael Drywa, President of the Board of the RIIFF. "We want the community to rediscover this jewel box theatre, lead the charge for a restoration and make the building available to the community, arts organizations, and educational programs."

"Rated X — One Family’s Business," which played to sold out crowds and won an Audience Award at this year’s festival, tells the story of the Berberians’ struggle to hold onto their theater. Producer John Lavall was inspired to make the film by a comment that RIIFF Executive Director George Marshall made during the closing ceremonies of the 2000 festival. Marshall, who would like to "return the Columbus to its former prominence as a leader in the Rhode Island arts entertainment scene," thought it would be a fascinating subject for a documentary. Lavall was at the festival to present his film "The Pork Chop Lounge." A Rhode Island native, he was skeptical when he heard that the Columbus was the venue. "Everybody knew the Columbus as the porn theater," he said. But when the screening was delayed, he struck up a conversation with Berberian, finding him to be "the complete opposite of who you’d think would own an adult theater." Intrigued, Lavall approached Berberian after the festival about doing the documentary.

Although he originally intended to explore the Columbus’ story from other angles, Lavall ultimately found that the most compelling story was that of the Berberian family and their dedication to keeping the theater open at all costs. "Jon is very pragmatic about it," Lavall said. "He has always done what he had to do. It’s a family business for them, like running a dry-cleaning shop."

The overwhelming response to the rebirth of independent film at the Columbus has inspired Berberian to stop booking adult films. This fall, he has instead been bringing back some of the most popular of this year’s RIIFF features. The theater’s eclectic entertainment roster also includes recent performances by the Bindlestiff Family Circus, a "Sound of Music" singalong and the Human Rights International Film Festival.

The RIIFF has formed a Friends of the Columbus Theatre committee to support restoration of the building. Berberian is currently getting advice from the Rhode Island Historical Society about possibilities.

The committee helped the theater kick off a yearlong 75th anniversary celebration on November 1, 2002, with the Rhode Island premiere of the Sundance Audience Award-winning Italian film, "The Last Kiss." Upcoming events include a silent film series; festivals of Hispanic, Jewish and Italian films; and a Werner Herzog retrospective, in addition to special community days and live performances.

The anniversary event "brought in a lot of people," Berberian said. "A lot of people are asking how they can help. We’re excited about the change in our film policy, and are glad to see that people are supporting us."

The Columbus Theatre is located at 270 Broadway in Providence. For more information call 401-621-9660, or visit www.columbustheatre.com. For more information about ‘Rated X — One Family’s Business,’ visit www.devlomedia.com. See www.rifilmfest.org for more information about the Rhode Island International Film Festival.


The Columbus Theatre is located at 270 Broadway in Providence. For more information call 401-621-9660, or visit www.columbustheatre.com. For more information about 'Rated X -- One Family's Business,' visit www.devlomedia.com. See www.rifilmfest.org for more information about the Rhode Island International Film Festival.

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