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BY JEFF MOORE

Editor’s Note: This feature originally ran in the Feb/March 2025 edition of the LaGrange Living magazine, a publication produced bi-monthly by the LaGrange Daily News. If you would like to pick up a copy of the LaGrange Living magazine, please visit our office at 115 Broad Ste 101.

Nestled in downtown Hogansville is a historic landmark the community has pulled together to renovate and restore to its former Art Deco glory.

When the doors of the old Royal Theater swung open in 1937, the building was a symbol of progress to the city and Troup County.

At the time, it was the largest movie theater between Columbus and Atlanta, with more than 900 seats designed to entertain and captivate audiences, said Royal Theater Director Robert Dippel.

While the theater thrived for decades, by the early 1980s the building was worn down and the Royal closed its doors. What remained, however, is a piece of history—one that would eventually be restored, not just for the town’s nostalgic pleasure, but for the future of its downtown community.

The theater sat empty for years after its closure, until it was repurposed in the 1990s as the Hogansville City Hall. But even as municipal offices replaced the seats where audiences once sat, many citizens of Hogansville never stopped dreaming of bringing the theater back to life.

But during that time, the Royal’s importance to Hogansville was confirmed as it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 21, 2001.

A concerted effort to revive the theater began in earnest in 2011, when a group of local residents, led by city officials like then-Mayor Bill Stanko and Development Director Lynn Miller, pushed for its restoration, Dippel explained. They envisioned a cultural hub—a space where both movies and live performances could thrive once again.

In November 2011, countywide voters got the process of restoring it started with approval of a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax project. About $700,000 was raised for the project between 2013-2018, with this money earmarked as matches for subsequent Royal Theater renovation grants.

Dippel is among those seeing the Royal’s potential.

There’s a lot of history here, he said during an interview about the theater’s transformation.

“When the theater opened in 1937, it was the largest movie theater between Columbus and Atlanta.”

Dippel’s involvement in the project began shortly after the City Hall moved out, making space for a thorough renovation.

The restoration was no small feat. Offices had been scattered throughout the theater, including in the balcony and the auditorium itself, with the council chambers tucked into a small corner of the former theater space, he explained. These changes had taken a toll on the building’s original charm, and restoring it to its former glory required considerable effort and funding.

“It was a $3.7 million project. So it was huge.” Dippel noted. The work wasn’t just to make the theater usable again, it was about preserving its history and restoring its Art Deco beauty.

The work was guided by a master plan developed for the theater by Carter Watkins Associates Architects of Monroe in July 2018.

As work began, surprising historical discoveries emerged. Among the most notable was the revelation that many of the original seats—dating back to the 1940s—were still intact, Dippel said. They had been refurbished and reupholstered during previous renovations, but their craftsmanship revealed a deeper story.

He said the seats were originally manufactured by the Irwin Seating Company of Michigan, which during World War II had briefly shifted production from theater seats to machine gun parts and tank parts to support the war effort.

A company official told Dippel when he saw the seats that he had only seen ones like the Royal’s in their museum.

“In World War II, the company switched over and was making machine gun parts and tank parts to support the war effort,” Dippel explained. “Then after the war, they obviously went back to making theater seats.”

He said they used the leftover metal to make the seats that we’ve got still in the main auditorium in the orchestra level.

“There was a major renovation reworking of the theater back in the early 60s and that’s when they put these seats in,” Dippel noted, adding that finding them during the current work was quite the discovery.

The completion of the restoration project brought the theater back to life, with plans for continued improvements to enhance the space for live performances.

The next step in the theater’s development includes restoring the theater’s iconic Art Deco tower and original doors, ensuring that the building remains a visual centerpiece in the community, he said. Additionally, they are working to add the display cases back at the entrance to feature upcoming events.

These additional restorations are expected to be complete within the next six months, Dippel said.

As part of the restoration, the theater has already begun hosting live events. Since its grand reopening in November 2024, the venue has presented a variety of performances, including comedy shows and musical acts. Each month, Dippel and his team aim to bring one live event to the stage, and in between those performances, the theater has become a gathering place for moviegoers.

As he started in his director’s role, he said he received a clear directive from city officials.

“They wanted one live event a month and movies whenever we weren’t doing a live event and then as many rentals as we could squeeze in as well,” Dippel said. “That’s what we’re doing. We’re booking one live event a month.

Building an audience for both live performances and films has proven to be a challenge, but Dippel is optimistic. Early successes like the Southern Fried Chicks comedy night and a showing of “Dirty Dancing”on Valentine’s Day proved that the theater’s revival was something the community welcomed.

“Grand opening was Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024,” Dippel recalled. “The Monday before that we didn’t have seats in the theater, so that was a bit of a challenge”

With the help of City Manager Lisa Kelly, he said they “had theater seats in and we were ready to go on the ninth.”

That community spirit has remained a constant throughout the entire process.

“The city raised the money to restore the building,” he said. Now that it has reopened, the community’s support is needed to keep it going.

“I want people to know and understand that this is their theater,” Dippel said. “This is yours. This is the community’s theater. This is a gift that the city has given to the community.”

Much of the restoration has been funded through the community’s fundraising efforts, with help from foundations and grants. Plus the project has received governmental support from the state and federal levels.

“It is a pretty incredible story and it really is dependent on the community where this facility goes and what we put on, what we present,” Dippel said.

How the theater operates will take time to work out. But he said it is time now for the community to accept the gift it has given itself and start playing their part.

One of the ways the theater has made itself accessible to the community is through its membership program, Dippel said. For as little as $50, residents can sign up for a membership that provides benefits such as discounted tickets, free popcorn and soda refills, and even early access to tickets for popular events. Memberships are essential for ensuring the theater remains a community-driven space while also supporting the cost of operations.

Additionally, he said the theater offers a flexible package for moviegoers, allowing them to buy five tickets and get one free. This deal makes it easier for families or groups to enjoy the theater’s offerings, including films such as “Grease” and upcoming performances by the Motown Revue and Collin Raye.

Even with these adjustments, the biggest challenge the theater faces is continuing to provide high-quality entertainment at affordable prices. Concerts and live performances from well-known artists are an expensive undertaking, especially when booking talent for a small venue like the Royal Theater. But Dippel and his team are committed to offering a season of performances that fits the community’s budget.

“We’re working on our summer season and we’re gonna be rolling that out the first of next month,” he said. “Then we’re also working on the September through May season.”

Dippel said they have learned a lot already in the first four or five months that the Royal has been opened.

“It’s a challenge getting named artists at affordable prices and we’re doing much much better,” he said. “I feel with the season that we’re gonna be bringing in, it’s gonna be exciting. People are gonna love the shows and we’ve made them much more accessible with lower ticket prices.”

One of the most anticipated events held recently was a performance by Michelle Malone and Canyonland, a popular Atlanta-based group that brought a mix of classic rock and 70s and 80s hits. Malone’s group has been a favorite for fans of classic rock.

“We’re building an audience and that’s really what it’s all about,” he said,  noting it has to be for both the movies and the live events.

Ultimately, the revival of the Royal Theater isn’t just about movies or performances—it’s about creating a sense of pride within the community. As the theater continues to grow, Dippel sees it as a symbol of what can happen when people come together with a shared vision.

“This is the community’s theater,” Dippel explained. Its success rests with the community and their support as they look to the future.

For now, the community will have to wait and watch as the theater continues to evolve, one event at a time. But with a steady commitment to quality, affordability, and engagement, the Royal Theater is primed for a bright future — a future that’s as bright as the marquee lights that now shine once again over the city’s historic downtown.

Upcoming live shows:

4April 26, Motor City Revue

4May 4, Andrew Stanley Comedy

4May 10, 1964 The Tribute

4June 21, Collin Raye

4July 19, Ramble Tamble-A Creedence Clearwater Revival Experience

4August 9, CryBaby: The Janis Joplin Experience starring Lisa Polizzi

For tickets and information on movie showings, visit https://1937royaltheater.org/