What’s Next for the Rivoli?


Restoration of the 70-year-old Rivoli is well under way. Layers of previous renovations have been removed, replaced by a new facade that recreates the theater’s original 1930s grandeur along Cedarburg’s main street.

As the last remaining single-screen theater in Ozaukee County, the Rivoli contributes to Cedarburg’s small-town character. The restoration aims to capture the old-fashioned excitement that attending a movie generated in days gone by: a show that begins on the street as movie patrons gather to enjoy the same film.

A sidewalk-level glass-enclosed ticket booth—much like the one that debuted in 1936—greets movie goers. Black glass covers the building’s facade, highlighted by white trim and a dramatic new marquee.


The Rivoli Theatre restoration drawing.
Courtesy of Poellot Architects, LLC and The Kubala Washatko Architects, Inc.