ABOUT
The Ritz Theatre was built on the site of the 1865 Drake Opera House. The property was purchased in 1925 by Jacob Fabian, who hired architect Fred Wesley Wentworth to design the theatre. It opened on March 9, 1926 with 2,791 seats. By 1941 it was operated by Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp. Today the restored theatre seats 2,800, making it one of the largest and oldest fully operational theaters in New Jersey.
"The Ritz Theatre aims to bring the community together, uniting them through culture and allowing everyone to experience the magic of the performing arts."
Over the years, many legendary performers have graced this stage, including the Marx Brothers, George Burns, Jack Benny, Ray Charles, Harry Chapin, Maya Angelou, Chaka Khan, Rodney Dangerfield and Miles Davis. The theatre was a cultural landmark through the 1960s, when it entered a period of decline. By 1980 it was threatened with demolition to make way for a parking lot. A group of philanthropists rescued the building and began restoring it, but ran out of funding in 1989. In 1994 the Ritz was purchased by George A. Castro II, who restored it to its 1920s grandeur.
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Today the Ritz Theatre & Performing Arts Center serves as Union County's cultural hub. The art deco interior features the original horseshoe seating layout and a professional Clair Brothers sound system. Five food and drink stations operate throughout the venue at every event. The theatre programs live music year-round — salsa, regional Mexican, mariachi, vallenato — along with comedy shows, conferences and community events, and is also available for filming and private rentals.
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The Ritz is located at 1148 East Jersey Street in Elizabeth, NJ, walking distance from Elizabeth Station on NJ Transit's Northeast Corridor and North Jersey Coast lines, about 30 minutes from Penn Station in New York City. NJ Transit bus routes 24, 26, 52, 56, 57, 58, 59 and 62 serve the area. Twenty-four-hour public parking is available at Lot #6, 1167 Dickinson St, a short walk from the entrance.
