Palace Theatre (Columbus, Ohio) facts for kids
The Palace Theatre and LeVeque Tower
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| Former names | Keith-Albee Palace, RKO Palace |
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| Location | 34 W. Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio |
| Coordinates | 39°57′45″N 83°00′07″W / 39.962372°N 83.002042°W |
| Public transit |  Add→ 4, 5, 7, 10, 11 CoGo |
| Operator | Columbus Association for the Performing Arts |
| Capacity | 2,695 |
| Current use | Performing arts center |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1926 |
| Architect | Thomas W. Lamb |
The Palace Theatre is a historic building in Columbus, Ohio. It is a beautiful old movie palace located at 34 West Broad Street. This theatre first opened its doors in 1926. It was designed by a famous American architect named Thomas W. Lamb. The Palace Theatre was built as part of the American Insurance Union Citadel. This building is now known as the LeVeque Tower. Today, the theatre is a busy place for many different kinds of live shows. It is owned and run by The Columbus Association for the Performing Arts. The main part of the Palace Theatre, where the stage is, is separate from the LeVeque Tower. However, the theatre's entrance and lobby are part of the tower complex.
Contents
The Theatre's Story
Building a Grand Theatre
The Palace Theatre was designed by Thomas W. Lamb. He used a special style called "Adam" style. This style was inspired by the beautiful buildings of the 1700s. The theatre was first called the Keith-Albee Theatre. Its construction was watched over by Edward Franklin Albee II. He was a very important person in the world of vaudeville. Vaudeville was a popular type of entertainment. It featured many different acts like singers, dancers, comedians, and magicians.
The theatre opened in 1926 as the Keith-Albee Palace. It showed silent movies and also had live vaudeville shows. There was an orchestra that played music. It also had a special organ called "Miss Buckeye." This was a large Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ.
Behind the Scenes
The area backstage at the Palace Theatre was very unique. It was built like a small hotel for the performers. There was even a "front desk" where they could get their room keys and mail. The theatre had kitchen facilities for the performers. There was also a playroom for children. The dressing rooms are named after cities where vaudeville shows would travel.
One very interesting part is under the stage. There is a special room with an animal shower. It also has a small, clean stable. There is even a ramp built for animals with hooves. This helped them get on and off the stage easily. This was very important during the vaudeville era. Many acts included animals.
Changes Over Time
In 1929, the Keith-Albee Palace got a new name. It became the RKO Palace. RKO stands for Radio Keith Orpheum. The theatre stopped showing movies in 1975. Later, a person named Katherine LeVeque helped fix up and save the theatre. She wanted it to be a home for opera shows and touring Broadway plays.
In 1989, the non-profit group CAPA bought the Palace Theatre. CAPA also manages the Ohio Theatre. Now, the Palace Theatre hosts many different performances. These include the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and the Jazz Arts Group. It also features many Broadway shows and other events sponsored by CAPA.
The Wurlitzer Organ
The Palace's special Wurlitzer organ was taken apart in the 1960s. A group called the Central Ohio Theatre Organ Society planned to restore it. As of 2007, the organ was installed at Thomas Worthington High School. This school is in nearby Worthington, Ohio.
