The Rialto Theatre is located in Raleigh's Five Points neighborhood, and is one of the more charming theaters in the Triangle. It was built in 1942 and although recently renovated, it still retains its original beauty, with its vintage recessed lighting and performance stage.

The Rialto has one large theater with with Dolby 5.1 sound systems that shows foreign and independant films as well as the Rocky Horror Picture Show, every Friday at midnight.

History¹

• 1936 - Constructed and opened as an A & P Grocery Store.
• April 1942 - Re-opened as the COLONY THEATRE, which operated continuously as a movie theatre, starting out with mainstream movies and then a brief stint as a martial arts movie house.
• March 1983 - Refurbished and re-opened as the RIALTO THEATRE to exhibit foreign, art, independent and alternative films.
• January 1992 - Renovations begin to restore the worn theatre into the art and movie house it once was. Installation of a State-of-the-Art projection system, a new roof and an overhaul of the HVAC completed.
• October 1993 - Dolby Stereo installed.
• December 1993 - New projection lamp house installed.
• March 1996 - Theatre facade restored, new box office and display cases installed, window boxes restored.
• November 1996 - New carpet, lobby repainted.
• February 1997 - Dolby Digital installed.
• March 1997 - Installation of purlescent screen and acoustically transparent masking.   New seats installed in auditorium.

¹ http://www.demonbeachrecords.com/rialtohistory.html

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