At the age of 16, Joseph "Papa Joe" Lightman immigrated with his family to the United States from Hungary. He opened his first business in 1887. His businesses included a fruit stand in the downtown area, a confectioner's booth, a saloon, a dry goods store, and a construction company. Papa Joe and his son, M. A. Lightman, built and owned The Hillsboro Theatre in 1925. The name and original entrance on Hillsboro Road are still marked by a sign above the building now occupied by The Villager Tavern. After several changes of ownership, multiple uses, and modifications to its physical plant, the theatre was named The Belcourt Theatre in 1966.

Connecting our history with our future, The Belcourt honors those whose significant & exceptional contributions of energy, resources, and passion help the Belcourt keep Papa Joe’s vision of a vibrant theatre in the heart of Hillsboro Village alive and well.  We are forever indebted to our current and past honorees for their hard work and vision supporting the Belcourt Theatre of today and their guidance as we build for the Belcourt Theatre of tomorrow.