Community

The Union Theatre opened in 1928 with vaudeville acts and other live entertainment. It had 1,101 seats with one main screen. In 1986 it was sub-divided to attract more movie-goers. It has opened and closed several times since then.

This Sleeping Beauty sits in the heart of the thriving Attleboro Downtown District, within walking distance to the Providence/Boston commuter rail, multiple restaurants, the Attleboro Arts Museum, and several parks and trails.

For almost 25 years, the theatre has been sitting vacant. Owners Jim and Ann Friedman have been caring for her, waiting for the right opportunity to present itself, unwilling to let her become a parking lot. They believed that the lights would one day shine again.

That day is finally here, as a local nonprofit theatre arts company (illuminate creative + theatrical arts co, inc) has recently linked arms with the Friedmans. This agreement allows illuminate, who has been bringing high quality arts education to ages 4-18 since 2013, to begin applying for grants and to launch a capital campaign to Turn on the Lights.