Kapaa in Kauai County, Hawaii — Hawaiian Island Archipelago (Pacific Ocean)
Roxy Theater
1939-1992
The opening on November 18th, 1939, featured "Lady of the Tropics", with Hedy Lamarr and Robert Tayler and "Goodbye Mr. Chips" with Robert Donat plus The Charles Kaneyama Orchestra. Later, opera stars Marian Anderson and Lauritz Melchior sang there. In 1992, Hurricane Iniki seriously damaged the theater, requiring it to be torn down. Roxy Square, a small shopping center, was built by the son of the owners to commemorate it and the memory of his parents.
Rainbows over Kapa'a, a memoir by Bill Fernandez, tells the story of the Roxy Theater and Kapa'a. www.wfernandez.com
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Entertainment. A significant historical month for this entry is November 1940.
Location. 22° 4.522′ N, 159° 19.132′ W. Marker is in Kapaa, Hawaii, in Kauai County. Marker is at the intersection of Kuhio Highway and Kauwila Street, on the right when traveling south on Kuhio Highway. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4-1345 Kuhio Highway, Kapaa HI 96746, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 15 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. The Kapa'a Japanese Stone Lantern (Ishidoro) (approx. 0.2 miles away); Houola (approx. 2˝ miles away); Albert S. Morgan Sr.'s Lydgate Pools (approx. 2.6 miles away); Poli'auh Heiau (approx. 3.1 miles away); Wai'ale'ale (approx. 3.3 miles away); Maunakapu and Wailua River (approx. 3.3 miles away); Daniel K. Inouye (approx. 12 miles away); Hanalei Schoolhouse (approx. 14.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Kapaa.
More about this marker. The marker is mounted on the left front corner of the building.
Additional commentary.
1. Roxy Theater marker
Mahalo! My husband is the son of the builders of Roxy Theater who wrote the memoir about it, Rainbows Over Kapa'a. I felt it important to mark the history of the family and theater and am so excited to see it on this site! I hope many more people find it now. Kapa'a is a pretty unique place with a unique history for the islands. Bill gives wonderful author talks describing hukilau, sings some Don Ho, chants an oli, shows photos of life in Kapa'a in the 30's, 40's and to modern day. The DVD of it can be purchased from the Kaua'i Historical Society. Through the process of writing the memoir and Bill's talks, I have learned how important it is to record our personal histories. Many mahalos for taking the photos and the time to post this. Judith Fernandez www.wfernandez.com
— Submitted February 27, 2011, by Judith Fernandez of Kapa'a, Kaua'i, Hawai'i.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 21, 2020. It was originally submitted on February 20, 2011, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 2,312 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on February 20, 2011, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. 2. submitted on February 21, 2011, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. 3, 4. submitted on February 27, 2011, by Judith Fernandez of Kapa'a, Kaua'i, Hawai'i. 5. submitted on February 21, 2011, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.