(HAMMONTON, NJ) -- On Friday, July 18, 2025 at around 11:20pm, an SUV backed into and severely damaged the side doors of the Eagle Theatre while leaving a nearby parking spot.
The theatre was getting ready for Triple Threat Workshop's production of Oklahoma (July 24-26). Thankfully, the creative team had left the building a short while earlier, preventing what could've been a far more serious situation.
But the damage is extensive, the costs are real, and the production of Oklahoma is just days away from opening night.
Due to the building being historical, the doors were custom made and handicapped accessible so repairs or full replacement will be very costly. They are reaching out the the theatre community for donations.
Eagle Theatre is a nonprofit so donations are tax-deductible, and your support means more now than ever. Click here for their donation page.
The Eagle Theatre’s rich history is rooted in the silent film era, when it first opened its doors in 1914 under the ownership of Samuel Litke. For over a decade, the theatre brought magic to Hammonton, but it closed in 1927. It went on to serve as a church for 15 years before being used as storage for an auto-parts company from 1959 to 2006.
In 2006, when the building faced demolition, devoted community members rallied to save the historic theatre, seeing its potential as a cornerstone of downtown revitalization. Their efforts paid off, and the Eagle Theatre reopened as a movie theatre on July 9, 2009, with a screening of Somewhere in Time, starring Christopher Reeve. In 2012, thanks to more than half a million dollars in grants and loans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Eagle Theatre Inc. was able to purchase the building and make vital improvements, including upgrading the stage and ticketing systems.
Today, the Eagle Theatre stands as a testament to the power of community, preserving a historic space while evolving into a vibrant hub for professional theatre in South Jersey. Partnering with the nonprofit Hammonton Revitalization Corporation, they continue to secure the theatre’s future as a cultural landmark, bringing world-class performances to town.
