Providence Performing Arts Center
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Loew's State Theatre
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| Location | Providence, Rhode Island |
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| Built | 1928 |
| Architect | Rapp & Rapp |
| NRHP Reference # | 77000027 |
| Added to NRHP | August 19, 1977 |
The Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC) (formerly Loew's State Theatre and Palace Concert Theater) is a multi-use theater located at 220 Weybosset Street in Providence, Rhode Island. The building was built as a movie palace by the Loews Theatres chain and opened in 1928. PPAC contains over 3000 seats and hosts touring Broadway shows, concerts, plays and films.
The theater was built in 1928 as The Loew’s State by Rapp and Rapp. George and C.W. Rapp were architects who made their name by designing beautiful movie houses across the United States. The first film to show there was Excess Baggage starring William Haines. Over 14,000 people jammed the building during its opening; they did not come to see the film, but to see the theatre's opulent chandeliers, marble columns and detailed moldings on the walls.
It was the site of a number of notable movie premieres, including the first 3-D feature film, Bwana Devil.
Between 1950 and 1972 the theatre operated under the name Loew's Theatre and showed more live concerts, rather than movies.
Between 1972 and 1975 the building was known as the Palace Concert Theater, and was used primarily for rock concerts. In 1973-1974 alone, the Palace Concert Theatre hosted The Bee Gees, The Kinks, The Doors, Lou Reed, Jackson Browne, Van Morrison, Fleetwood Mac, and Aerosmith. The band King Crimson recorded the song "Providence" during a 1974 concert at the venue, and the recording was featured on their seventh album Red, released later that year.
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