The theater was designed by Thomas W. Lamb, and built for the Ferber Amusement Company in 1922 as a place for pre-Broadway runs of shows.[4] The first event at the theater was a showing of a silent film, Peacock Alley starring Mae Murray.[5] The next show was a pre-Broadway run of "The Devine Cook" starring Florence Reed.
Within a few years of its opening, the Strand began to host vaudeville shows and silent films. Among the stars who appeared on the Strand's stage early in their careers included Burns and Allen, Milton Berle, and Ray Bolger.[4]
^ abBlay, Joyce. "Revitalized octogenarian still going strong", CentralJersey.com, October 31, 2002. Accessed December 2, 2022. "Silent screen star Mae Murray inaugurated the Strand with her performance in the movie Peacock Alley, followed by a series of five vaudeville acts."
^Music & Performance, Township of Lakewood. Accessed December 2, 2022. "Total renovation of the theater began in 1993 and was completed in 2003. The Strand is on the NJ Register and National Register of Historic Places and serves as the Ocean County Center for the Arts."