The Paramount Theatre is located in downtown Abilene, Texas

Abilene, Texas

Abilene is a city in Taylor and Jones counties in west central Texas. The population was 117,063 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Abilene Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2006 estimated population of 158,063. It is the county seat of Taylor County...

 at 352 Cypress Street.

The Parmount was built in 1930 by H. O. Wooten, adjacent to his Hotel Wooten

Hotel Wooten

The Hotel Wooten is located in downtown Abilene, Texas at 1102 North 3rd Street.thumb|left|200px|The building's grand lobbyThis graceful 16-story tower was built at the corner of North 3rd and Cypress Street in 1930 by local business man H.O. Wooten legendarily paid for in cash in the midst of the...

. Opening night was May 18, 1930, with the film, Safety in Numbers

Safety in Numbers

Safety in Numbers is the third studio album by American rock band Crack the Sky, released on LP in 1978 by Lifesong Records . Lead singer John Palumbo departed the band during the recording; the band pitched in to write enough songs to round out the album, and they recruited Gary Lee Chappell to...

starring Carole Lombard

Carole Lombard

Carole Lombard was an American actress. She was particularly noted for her comedic roles in the screwball comedies of the 1930s...

. On February 12, 1931, Universal Pictures

Universal Pictures

-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...

 selected the Abilene Paramount, along with a few others in that theatre chain, to exhibit the 1931 horror classic Dracula

Dracula (1931 film)

Dracula is a 1931 vampire-horror film directed by Tod Browning and starring Bela Lugosi as the title character. The film was produced by Universal and is based on the stage play of the same name by Hamilton Deane and John L...

, a full two days before its Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day

Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...

 premiere. Restored to its current state in 1986, the Paramount features: films, live theatre performances, 1,199 split-aisle seats, Spanish-Moorish interior, and a domed ceiling with moving clouds and glittering stars.

At the Paramount, visitors can catch performances featuring: Abilene Ballet Theatre, the Abilene Opera association, the Celebration Singers, Chameleon Performing Arts Company, Abilene Performing Arts Company, Abilene Community Band, Abilene Repertory Theatre, Abilene Community Theatre, Abilene Christian University

Abilene Christian University

Abilene Christian University is a private university located in Abilene, Texas, affiliated with Churches of Christ. ACU was founded in 1906, as Childers Classical Institute...

 Theatre, McMurry University

McMurry University

McMurry University, founded in 1923, is a private co-educational university in Abilene, Texas. It is a liberal arts school offering forty-one majors in the fields of fine arts, humanities, social and natural sciences, education, business, and religion, and nine pre-professional programs, including...

 Theatre, Hardin Simmons University Theatre, the Abilene Intercollegiate Orchestra, the Classical Chorus of Abilene, the Classical Youth Chorus, and local high school

High school

High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....

bands.