Southern Theatre (Columbus, Ohio) facts for kids
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Great Southern Hotel and Theatre
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Theater entrance
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| Location | S. High and E. Main Sts., Columbus, Ohio |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1894 |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 82001458 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | December 2, 1982 |
The Southern Theatre is a very old and famous theater in downtown Columbus, Ohio. It first opened its doors on September 21, 1896. This makes it the oldest theater still standing in Central Ohio, and one of the oldest in the whole state! Today, a group called CAPA (the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts) owns and runs the Southern Theatre. They use it for live concerts, plays, and operas. CAPA also manages other cool theaters in Columbus, like the Ohio, the Palace, and the Lincoln Theatres.
Contents
History of the Southern Theatre
Building the Theater
Between 1889 and 1893, several fires destroyed five theaters in downtown Columbus. Because of this, a group of business people decided to build a brand new hotel and theater. They wanted it to be very modern and safe from fires.
They called the new building "The Great Southern Fireproof Hotel and Opera House." It was designed by a local architecture company called Dauben, Krumm, and Riebel. Construction started in 1894. Both the theater and the hotel were built using "fireproof" materials. These included special tiles, bricks, iron, steel, and concrete.
Theater Design and Features
The theater's main hall, called the auditorium, had a very advanced design for its time. It was similar to the Schiller Theatre in Chicago, which was built in 1891. From the stage opening, many curved arches spread out into the audience area. These arches had bright electric lights, which made the lighting great and the sound excellent.
The theater was built to be self-sufficient, meaning it could run on its own. It was one of the first big buildings in Columbus to use electricity. The theater even made its own power! Also, the building had three wells in its basement. These wells provided all the water the building needed. Today, the theater has 933 seats. It is known as an intimate "jewel box" type theater because of its beautiful, detailed design and two balconies.
In 1982, the Southern Theatre and its hotel were added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historical buildings.
What the Theater Was Used For
When it first opened, the Great Southern Theatre showed many different plays and shows that were touring the country. Famous performers like Sarah Bernhardt even played there in the early years.
In the 1910s and 1920s, the theater, now just called the Southern, started showing the newest silent films. It also hosted live vaudeville shows, which were popular performances with singing, dancing, and comedy.
From the 1930s onward, the Southern became a popular place to watch "second-run" double features. This meant you could watch two movies for one price after they had already been shown in other theaters. In the 1970s, the theater briefly showed first-run movies again as the Towne Cinema. During this time, it also hosted a weekly live Country Music Jamboree. This event was sponsored by a local radio station called WMNI.
The theater closed in 1979. In 1986, CAPA bought it. After being empty for almost 20 years, the Southern Theatre was completely restored by CAPA. This big rebuilding project took 14 months, from 1997 to 1998. The newly restored Southern Theatre reopened on September 26, 1998. Today, the Southern Theatre is a popular stop on many of Columbus's architectural tours.
Images for kids
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The hotel around 1915
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Theater entrance
