CENTRAL
151 Highland, 910 seats. Frank H. Bignotti, architect.

Architect Frank Bignotti enclosed the first of the Locatellis' three theatres inside an apartment house that also included offices and storefronts. The interior was as elegant as the facade, featuring murals on each side of the stage and false boxes to disguise the organ pipes. The theatre opened in 1921 and operated for nearly forty years. Its innovative design made the space easy to readapt. Between 1989 and 1993, the Boston Rock Gym made use of the brick wall behind the stage and after that it became a bottle redemption center. The theatre has now been carved up into offices but on the corner a tango school operates where Valentino once performed.

This 1952 photo looking up Highland Avenue shows the Central Theatre on the right and just beyond it the Central Club. One can just make out the Elk which stood on this corner for many years. On the opposite side of the street is the Knights of Columbus Building which housed the Highland Theatre from 1916 to 1921. Today, it is occupied by Anthony's Banquet Hall. Photo by Russell B. Harding. Courtesy Kevin Foley, Locatelli Properties.