The PAL Theatre was built in 1927 in downtown Vidalia as a movie theatre and performing arts theatre with a stage, organ and orchestra pit. Mr. Mitchell F. Brice who also established the Brice Banking Company, Tanner Brice Wholesale Company and Simm’s Service Stores (later to become Piggly Wiggly), hired well-known theatre architect Roy Benjamin to design this theatre for downtown Vidalia. Mr. Brice and his heirs owned and operated the theatre from 1927-2004. Maggie Brice sold the theatre to Karl & Ann Owens in 2004. The Owens continued to operate it as a movie theatre and began using it as an event venue also until they closed it in June 2014. The City of Vidalia purchased the theatre from the Owens in January of 2015.
The City renovated the theatre and the attached 3-story building and opened it again in summer of 2018 as a movie theatre and performing arts theatre. The interior consists of the theatre with lobby and ticket office, an expanded concessions area, green room/dressing rooms and the Downtown Vidalia Association Main Street Office and Welcome Center on the first floor. The second floor is a banquet hall with a third story mezzanine, and an elevator provides access to all three floors. The mezzanine frequently has rotating art exhibits with free access to the public.
The PAL was the center of entertainment for the Vidalia area for decades. It holds many memories for this community. The hope is that it will become not only an economic engine for continued growth and prosperity in the downtown area, but that the community will continue to tell the old stories and share their new stories at this historic theatre.
