Augusta Arts Council

In the depths of the Great Depression, local farmer and cattleman Dave Bisagno and his wife Aline built a spectacular movie palace in downtown Augusta. No expense was spared; the building cost $70,000 — roughly $1,250,000 in today's money.

Designed by architect Larson, the Augusta Historic Theatre was among the first in the nation to feature neon illumination throughout the building. Art Deco and Egyptian motifs dominate the decor, with abundant handmade plaster mouldings in black, silver, salmon, burgundy and seafoam, and a dazzling hand-painted ceiling covering the entirety of the 633-seat auditorium. Large murals flank the seating area, creating the feeling of a lush classical terrace with fountains and greenery. In addition to the movie screen there is a stage, suitable for live musical and theatrical performances.

For fifty years, until closing the doors in November 1985, the Bisagno family operated the Augusta Theatre as a first-run movie house. With fewer than one in four movie theaters built in America prior to World War II still in existence today, there was a very real chance the Augusta Theatre could have been lost to history. In September 1989 the Augusta Arts Council purchased the theater and began the task of restoring this precious community treasure and putting it back into regular use — a painstaking process that has required sustained effort, hard work and substantial financial support from the public.

The theater was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999, and in 2003 local donors pledged toward its restoration nearly $150,000, which was matched by a grant from the "Save America's Treasures" program. In 2011 a fundraising effort helped equip the theater with fully updated digital projection and sound equipment — essential to its continued operation in the modern age. Today the Augusta Histroic Theatre shows a mix of first-run and revival films, and its low ticket and concession prices ensure its place in the community as an affordable family entertainment destination.

Our new classic film program and regularly-scheduled live music events are coming in 2019!