The Ames (Star) Theater (1915–1966)
Built in 1915, the Foster Theater originally opened as the Star Theater, a single-screen neighborhood cinema with about 300 seats. Portland gathered under the Star’s marquee for an evening of entertainment, making it a local fixture on Foster Road. In 1928, it became the Ames Theater (named after its founder, Charles A. Ames). At first, it only showed silent films, but in 1929 it started showing “talkies.” It eventually closed its doors in late 1966, ending a 51-year run as Foster Road’s beloved picture palace.

The Day Theater (1967–2010)
In 1967, the owners of a neighboring music shop—the Day family—bought the shuttered theater and gave it a new lease on life. They renamed it the Day Theater (briefly called Days) and converted part of the old auditorium into a piano showroom. The projector and film reels were traded out for pianos and live performances. For the next four decades, five generations of the Day family kept the theater’s lights on.

By the 2000s, the grand old building was showing its age. The marquee and façade that had once glowed on busy Foster Road were now weathered. In 2010, after roughly 43 years of family stewardship, the Days decided to sell the property. This closed a long chapter for the Day Theater—a period in which the venue survived not as a movie theater, but as a community arts space intertwined with a much-loved family business.

The New Day Center (2010–2022)
In 2010, legendary Portland musician and producer Tim Ellis purchased the aging theater, dreaming of reviving it as a modern performance venue. He hoped to transform the historic space into a state-of-the-art recording studio and live music hall. He rebranded the venue as the New Day Center for the Arts, turning the entire building into an arts hub for dance, music, and theater. Tragically, Tim Ellis fell ill and passed away from cancer in 2016, bringing his ambitious plans to an abrupt halt. His death left the theater in limbo. With its passionate owner gone, the building soon slipped into silence and disrepair.

Classical Ballet Academy and the Foster Theater (2023– )
The years following 2016 were hard on the old theater. Without regular oversight, the building descended into serious neglect. What’s more, no one was paying the taxes, and the unpaid bill only grew. After over a century of history, the theater was on the brink of being seized by the city and torn down as an abandoned nuisance property.

Just before the city could repossess the building, Sarah Rigles, founder and owner of Classical Ballet Academy, purchased the entire property. The cultural landmark was brought back to life—first with four new dance studios in 2023, followed by the opening of the newly named Foster Theater in 2025. The future looks bright for the old building as it brings joy, art, and community back to 54th and Foster.