A History of the Arts in Sharonville, Ohio

Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, The Sharonville Cultural Arts Center is utilized by the Sharonville Fine Arts Council, whose mission is to “Provide a performance space for programs that enhance the cultural growth of the community.” Despite its contemporary undertaking, the building has served the community since the early twentieth century. Today, it is considered the oldest theater in Hamilton County still being used for such purposes. Due to the shortage of historical documentation, much of its history has been passed down by its previous owners and visitors. Today, the existing records are housed at the Society of Historic Sharonville Museum.

Past research lists the theater as being built around 1880, which was recently proved inaccurate. Photographs dating back to the 1890s and early 1900s, show that there was no theater erected on the property before 1919. During this period, a frame building called the “Wheeler’s Barn” stood in its place. Due to an invasive fire in 1919, the structure was burned completely. The owners, the Wheeler Family, who also owned the adjacent Wheeler House Hotel and Saloon, decided to build a new facility, The Victor Theatre. Completed in 1920, Robert Wheeler dedicated this building to vaudeville entertainment.

In 1935, William G. Lewis and Kelsay McWhorter purchased the theater from the Wheeler Family. In addition, a new sign with neon chaser lights was added; at this time the building was known as The Sharon Theatre. Photographs of the theater show elements of Art Deco style, which is characterized by simple, bold designs, and geometric motifs. These design features are still visible today, in addition to castellated detailing around the building.

During WWII, The Sharon Theatre was a place where the community could go to enjoy popular cinema. In 1946, Sam Kaplan bought the building, but the ownership of the building up until 1959 is left uncertain. During the 1950s, the building became a short-term gathering space for the Sharon Baptist Church. In 1964, Thelma Gallaher leased the theater for reopening and remolding, naming it the Act One Theater. Pictures of the building indicate that much of the exterior went unchanged, except for its white and red color scheme on the exterior, in addition to signage. By 1984, the theater was closed by Cannon Simpson, who rented the space to Thelma Gallaher.

The City of Sharonville bought the property in 2001, after a fire had damaged the original Victor Hotel. The three remaining buildings were deeded to the Sharonville Fine Arts Council to be used as an arts center. At this time a master plan was devised to renovate the building. Every effort was made to preserve and protect the historic integrity of the building, wherever possible. This was all accomplished through a grass roots campaign that included private and corporate donations. The mission of the Sharonville Fine Arts Council was then and remains today, to implement a comprehensive visual and performing arts venue.

Sources Used

Darrin Upp (Curator of the Society of Historic Sharonville Museum), interview by Allie Edmonds, November 25, 2018.

[Robin Zeh Kurlas, “A History of the Sharon Theater,” September 2002] The Sharon Theater Historical Files, Society of Historic Sharonville.

John J.-G Blumenson, Identifying American Architecture: A Pictorial Guide to Styles and Terms, 1600-1945. (Nashville: American Association for State and Local History, 1977) 77.

“History,” Sharonville Cultural Arts Center, http://www.sharonvilleculturalarts.org/history/ (accessed November 25, 2018)

“Our Mission,” Sharonville Cultural Arts Center, http://www.sharonvilleculturalarts.org/page-3/. (accessed November 25, 2018)

Sue Koetz (President of the Sharonville Arts Council), Interview by Allie Edmonds, November 24, 2018.

Carrie Whitaker, “Arts: Old Act I Morphing into Arts Center,” The Enquirer (Cincinnati, OH), Oct. 30, 2007.  
Society of Historic Sharonville Museum. " Image of Act One Theatre." Digital Image, c. 1980.
Sharonville Cultural Arts Center. " Image of Building Exterior." Digital Image. http://www.sharonvilleculturalarts.org. 2018. Accessed April 4 , 2019. http://www.sharonvilleculturalarts.org/in-the-news/ .