Hershey, PA

Hershey Theatre
Wednesday, December 1, 2021

I was here in Hershey back in 2015, my first time ever. I had hurt my right knee at some point prior to getting to Hershey, and it was in Hershey that I walked to the giant ice rink in town to see an athletic trainer. He gave me a knee brace which I still have. On this tour, my right knee has been perfectly fine, it's my left knee that gives me problems from time to time.

We got to Hershey at 3pm and weren't needed at the theater that night until 5:30. Ryan (who plays the snowman) and I walked the 1.5 miles to Hershey's Chocolate World because he'd never been. It's basically the giant store with every conceivable chocolate creation Hershey makes!

It was also on the way to Hershey that I found my favorite east coast treat -- the Tastykake Tastyklair Pie! SO DELICIOUS.

Hershey Park is closed for the winter, but the Chocolate World is wide open and ready to take your money for all things Hershey.

The photo above is 2015, below is from this year. Funny enough, I did NOT plan the photo -- I didn't realize I had been in the same exact dressing room as 2015. 

This is from back in 2015 where I found my Tastykake treats at a local Hershey store; I was so excited!

The theater is historic and awesome--as to be expected. It seats 1,904 and opened in 1933, celebrating the city of Hershey's 30th anniversary. It employed 600 workers during the Great Depression. From the website:

The floor is laid with polished Italian lava rock. Four different types of marble, both imported and domestic, shape the walls and exquisite series of arches. The ceiling is filled with bas-relief images of sheaves of wheat, beehives, swans, pastoral scenes, Apollo and Assyrian war chariots, attracting patrons' eyes to the beautiful art above.

The inner foyer's "canopy of gold" arched tile ceiling was patterned after St. Mark's Cathedral in Venice, Italy. Two German artisans labored for two full years to create the beautiful blue and gold pin-point mosaic design leading to the main floor seating area.

Prominently mounted above the stage is the winged lion, the symbol of the city of Venice. The sides of the auditorium appear to be the outer walls of a Byzantine castle, complete with balconies on windowed towers. The overhead proscenium arch is inspired by the design of an ancient canal bridge, such as the noted Bridge of Sighs.

The following shots are just from the lobby!

Quite a place! Loved it. Reading (pronounced Redding), Pennsylvania is next!