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Welcome to the colorful world of Historic Theatres!

This series of coloring books for adults explores the unique and spectacularly detailed designs of movie palaces and theatres built throughout the United States from the late 1800s and into the early 20th Century.

Try to imagine how these theatres might have looked originally, or chose your own favorite color combinations!

Each COLORING BOOK includes original, highly intricate illustrations for you to color, featuring interior and exterior views, patterns, and details based on historical references and the author’s personal archives.

PANTAGES

RIALTO

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MICHIGAN/STATE

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COLORING BOOKS

TOWER

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WESTLAKE

MILLION DOLLAR

Do you have a favorite theatre you would like to color?

CLICK to send me your suggestions!

CHINESE

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UNITED ARTISTS

MAYAN

ABOUT HISTORIC THEATRES

Historic Theatres from this era were built as “palaces” of the imagination. People could escape to a fantasy world via the stories being told on stage and screen and through the fantastic environments created through architecture.

As architectural styles were varied, so was the use of color and texture. Deep, rich colors were frequently used, allowing the auditorium to darken enough, so attention was focused on the show. White was very rarely used on the interior of a theatre, so go wild!

Styles ranged from classical historic architecture to the latest fads, whatever was considered “exotic” at the time was fair game for historic theatres: Chinese, Egyptian, Moorish, Mayan, Spanish, and frequently a combination of styles were used in what I like to call “Hollywood Fantasy”.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Escott O. Norton grew up in the worlds of both theatre and architecture. His mother Sally co-founded the Occidental College Summer Drama Festival, and his father Oakley, a math teacher and pioneer in progressive education, designed and built all of Escott’s childhood homes.

Escott was drawn to historic theatres from an early age, and the Rialto Theatre was his first. He founded Friends of the Rialto in 1983 to advocate for its protection, and served as executive director of the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation for six years.

He continues to advocate for the preservation and revitalization of historic theatres and works as a design consultant for historic theatres, commercial buildings, and residences.

Escott has traveled all over the world with his amazing wife Jeanne and sons Kyle and Evan and is grateful for their constant support and patience as he insisted on stopping at every historic theatre he could find!