Since the 1920’s, the Reg Lenna Center has been the heart of the arts and cultural district in the region. What started as “The Palace Theatre” that showed short films has evolved into something much more.

The Reg Lenna Center for The Arts theater was built in 1923 as The Palace, producing and presenting vaudeville shows until the 1930’s when it shifted programming to primarily movies. In 1950, after Nikitas Dipson purchased bought the facility, Dipson Theaters assumed management. This continued through the 1970’s, until the theater fell into disrepair.

Famed singer Harry Chapin performed onstage in 1981, urging the community to restore the theater to its former glory. The Reg Lenna underwent renovations starting in 1989. The renovations included reconstruction of the orchestra pit, new stage lighting and equipment, new curtains, new house lights, handicapped seating, new floor coverings, original artwork repaired and cleaned, new stage entrance, new heating and cooling systems, and a new stage floor. After renovations, the Center now seats 1,269.

The Reg Lenna Civic Center reopened for business in 1990 after a generous gift from Reginald and Betty Lenna. After incubating several arts organizations including Arts Council for Chautauqua County, Infinity Performing Arts and the original Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz museum and comedy festival, the organization changed to Reg Lenna Center for The Arts in 2013 to focus on presenting arts and entertainment year round.

With arts and entertainment available twelve months a year, residents of the region are able to enjoy countless performances at the center, according to the Reg Lenna’s Director of Marketing and Communications, Len Barry.

“The Center’s Reg Presents series features world-renowned musicians, actors, entertainers, acrobats and more to a wide and diverse audience,” Barry said. “On most weeks that don’t feature a Reg Presents show, the Center programs a Youth Series for local schools, continues a Movies @ The Reg series or hosts local organizations and their programming including the National Comedy Center, Jamestown Concert Association, Chautauqua Regional Youth Ballet, Roger Tory Peterson Institute’s BANFF Mountain Film Festival, various civic events and The Resource Center’s Sprout Film Festival. Additionally, the Center oversees the operations and programming for low-power community radio station WRFA 107.9FM and 3rd on 3rd Art Gallery.”

Residents of Warren County are encouraged to attend any events that they are interested in.

“We enjoy having patrons from Warren County and that region at The Center,” Barry said. “They make up our third largest audience in the region. We can always use volunteers to usher at our events as well.”

Upcoming events at the Reg lenna include: Movies: Florence Foster Jenkins (October 1), The Silence of the Lambs (October 19), Swingers (November 2). Reg Presents: Judgment at Nuremberg (October 30), Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (November 2), Christmas at The Reg (December 17), Pat Hazell’s The Wonder Bread Years (March 4) and Shaolin Warriors: Legendary Masters of Kung Fu (April 7).

For a complete schedule and tickets, visit www.reglenna.com.