Civic Theatre of Allentown’s 19th Street Theatre added to historic register

Civic Theatre of Allentown’s 19th Street Theatre has been added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The theater and acting school, which is in the city’s West End theater district, made the announcement Tuesday.

Managing Artistic Director William Sanders said the process had been a long time in the making.

“Civic has served as a home for actors and artists to hone their craft for nearly 100 years,” he said, “as well as teachers, authors, public servants, chemists, businesspeople, doctors, lawyers, directors, choreographers, singers, dancers and leaders throughout the community and across the country. We are all Civic Theatre.”

According to Civic Theatre, the distinction will protect and preserve the theater for generations to come. Since opening in 1927, Civic has had about 400 productions. It found its permanent home on 19th Street in 1957.

It was also one of the starting places for actors who have achieved fame beyond the Lehigh Valley, including Christine Taylor, Dane DeHaan, Oakes and Winslow Fegley, Daniel Roebuck, Michaela Conlin, Tim Heidecker and Amanda Seyfried.

Sanders said the process of achieving the listing goes back many years, crediting the leadership of Sharon and Barry Glassman for getting the ball rolling, along with other board members and managing directors from Scott Snyder through Diane Donaher.

“The application process was an arduous one and Meredith Bzdak from our architecture firm was hired to complete it,” he said. “Our nomination was accepted and recommended by the state board in September and it was listed and approved on the National Park Service website last week.”

Sanders said the designation was because of the historic qualities and architecture of the building. He added that additional work will be required to preserve it.

“We still have quite a bit of work to do and money to raise to finish the rehearsal rooms and the facade of the building. Though stunning, it is not quite waterproof,” he said. “We hope this designation opens the doors for donors and grants to accomplish the final task.”

The 19th Street Theatre will be Allentown’s 15th location on the National Register of Historic Places. Other sites in the city include Allentown Masonic Temple, Americus Hotel, Bogert Covered Bridge, the Neuweiler Brewery and the Old Lehigh County Courthouse.