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 movie palace in Columbus, Ohio, that can seat 2,695 people. It is located at 34 W. Broad Street. The theater was built in 1926 as part of the famous LeVeque Tower skyscraper. It was designed by the architect Thomas W. Lamb.
Today, the Palace Theatre is a busy performing arts center. It is owned and managed by CAPA. While the theater's main area is separate from the LeVeque Tower, its grand entrance and lobby are part of the tower complex.
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History of the Theatre
The Palace Theatre was designed by Thomas W. Lamb. He used a style called "Adam," which was inspired by the work of Scottish architects James and Robert Adam from the 1700s. The style is known for being elegant and classical.
When it first opened, the theater was called the Keith-Albee Theatre. Its construction was overseen by Edward Albee, a famous producer of vaudeville shows. Vaudeville was a popular type of live entertainment that included singers, dancers, comedians, and magicians.
The theater opened in 1926. It showed silent movies and hosted live vaudeville acts. It even had its own orchestra and a huge Wurlitzer pipe organ nicknamed "Miss Buckeye."
A Special Place for Performers
The backstage area of the Palace Theatre was like a small hotel for the performers. It had a front desk where they could pick up their mail and room keys. There were also kitchens and a playroom for children.
Each dressing room was named after a city on the vaudeville tour circuit. The area under the stage was specially designed for animal acts. It had an animal shower, a small stable, and a ramp to help animals get to the stage safely.
Changes Over the Years
In 1929, the theater was renamed the RKO Palace. It continued to operate as a movie theater for many years. However, RKO closed it in 1975.
The theater was saved and renovated by its owner, Katherine LeVeque. She wanted it to be a home for Opera Columbus and for touring Broadway shows. In 1989, a non-profit group called CAPA bought the theater. CAPA also manages the historic Ohio Theatre in Columbus.
Today, the Palace Theatre hosts many different events. You can see performances by the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, the Jazz Arts Group, and traveling Broadway shows.
What Happened to the Organ?
The theater's famous Wurlitzer organ was removed in 1968 by a group called the Central Ohio Theatre Organ Society (COTOS). In 1976, the organ was installed in an auditorium at Thomas Worthington High School in Worthington, Ohio.
The organ stayed there for many years. In 2022, it was decided that the high school would be rebuilt. The organ, which hadn't been played for a long time, was carefully removed in May 2024 and put into storage before the old auditorium was torn down.
