The Most Beloved Historic Theaters In The South

Here's where to enjoy a show in bygone beauty.

Gilded prosceniums and cherub-lined opera boxes, orchestra pits and Art Deco marquees—the beauty of a historic theater is something magical, drawing emotions long before the curtain even rises.

At the end of the 19th century and the start of the 20th, the South was the belle of the ball when it came to seeing a live performance or an early film in these opulent auditoriums. Architects, like Emile Weil and John Eberson looked to Europe, Asia, and Africa for influence, carving Southern woods like cypress and oak with touches of global culture, from Spanish filigree patterns to Roman columns to Egyptian hieroglyphics.

The fate of many playhouses and early cinemas is a sad one. As the popularity of film grew and the advent of the suburbs arrived, historic downtown theaters fell on hard times and into disrepair. Many were demolished.

However, many were saved. In the last two decades, we’ve seen a sweeping trend in public and private fundraising to save these stunning buildings, and many are currently operating again as 501c3 endeavors. Here are some of the most beloved restored spaces around the South.

The Lyric Theater

Birmingham, Alabama

In the first two decades of the 20th century, Birmingham was a prime city for live performances. There were dozens of opulent theaters, with names like The Rialto, The Princess, and The Galax. The Lyric joined the collection in 1914, and soon became the talk of the South, with the marquee boasting acts like The Marx Brothers and Mae West. An opulent vaudeville house, it unfortunately fell into disrepair as the 20th century wore on, and it was shuttered for decades. A massive undertaking in private and public funding by a group of local citizens helped save and restore The Lyric, which officially reopened in the winter of 2016. Guests can once more see live music and theater performances, in this two-level space with 747 seats, blue velvet accents, and 12, gilded opera boxes.

lyricbham.com, 1800 3rd Ave N, Birmingham, AL 35203

The Fox Theatre

Atlanta, Georgia 

Prince. The Rolling Stones. Lynyrd Skynyrd. So many shows have been enjoyed (and multiple albums recorded) at the most vibrant theater in Atlanta.

The history of this place is rather plucky, as it came to life in 1928, when a Shriners organization was looking for a place to host events. They drew up elaborate design plans, using Spain’s famous Alhambra Palace and Egypt’s Temple of Kharnak as inspirations, incorporating domes and minarets, rich velvets, and grand archways. The Shriners had bold visions but bad budgeting and soon ran out of money. They leased the building to a movie theater tycoon named William Fox, who completed the 250,000-square-foot performance house, installing a 3,622-pipe Möller organ—the largest in the world still today.

While you should certainly attend a concert or a theater performance at least once in life, The Fox also offers another worthy perk—guided, behind-the-scenes, daily tours.

www.foxtheatre.org, 660 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30308

The Dock Street Theater

Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston’s charming downtown Queen Street was once called Dock Street. The road gave the name to the first building ever constructed specifically as a theater in America. The opening night performance was The Recruiting Officer, premiering on February 12, 1736. Fire destroyed much of Charleston’s original structures in 1740, and in 1809, The Planter’s Hotel opened on the site, with a wrought-iron balcony and thick, sandstone columns that still stand today. A second, theater grand opening occurred in 1935, with guests now seated facing the stage reconstructed in the hotel’s former courtyard area, with beautiful, black-cypress accents.

A site for history buffs, many a famed character stayed and/or worked here over the years, and in this hallowed place, the famous Planter’s Punch was also invented. It was 1978 when Charleston Stage was founded by Playwright Julian Wiles. It’s now South Carolina’s largest professional theater company, anchored at The Dock Street Theater. The curtain still rises every month, thanks to this 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

charlestonstage.com, 135 Church St, Charleston, SC 29401

The Ryman Auditorium

Nashville, Tennessee 

For 2023, The Ryman looks a little different outside. That’s thanks to the newest exhibit—Johnny Cash’s old tour bus, known as JC Unit One—which is parked out front and ready for tours.

“Johnny Cash is a music icon with significant ties to this building. It was here that he graced the Grand Ole Opry stage for the first time, where he crossed paths with June Carter Cash and where the iconic 'Johnny Cash Show' found its home,” says Gary Levy, Ryman Auditorium General Manager, proudly.

The 1892 auditorium was built by Captain Thomas G. Ryman as the Union Gospel Tabernacle and was later nicknamed The Mother Church of Country Music. This house hosted Elvis and Dolly Parton, showcased The Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974, was the set for multiple movies and television shows, and has been a hallowed hall for every major musician looking to grace a stage in the South. You can still sit in the rows of pews that curve down to the stage, bathed in the glow of the stained-glass windows, and watch more than 200 live acts per year.

www.ryman.com, 116 5th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37219

The Majestic Theater

San Antonio, Texas

Fun fact: When the Majestic was built in 1929, it was so state-of-the-art that it was the first building in the state of Texas with air-conditioning. Now, this National Landmark is a glittering treasure, widely considered to be one of the most beautiful theaters in America. It was designed and built by Architect John Eberson, who created more than 500 theaters in his career. Eberson gave it a Spanish splendor, drafting an intricately carved, Andalusian-palace-styled proscenium with more than 3,700 seats and an exterior marquee sign that extends 76 vertical feet and features 2,400 lamps. Today, you can enjoy national comedians, from Alan Cumming to Ali Wong, concerts, and movies, often with live orchestra accompaniment.

www.majesticempire.com, 224 E Houston St, San Antonio, TX 78205

The Palace Theater

Louisville, Kentucky

When this grand dame threw her doors wide in 1928, it was called the Loew’s and United Artists Theater. The first performance was a film called Excess Baggage, starring Josephine Dunn and William Haines. Renamed in 1994 as The Palace, Louisville locals and visitors alike continue to see movies and live performances here, reveling in luxe trappings like tiled staircases, carved support beams, gilded reliefs, and intricate stonework.

The Palace is also purported to be haunted, which isn’t so surprising when you consider more than one million people have crossed the threshold for entertainment. One manager has claimed to hear the sounds of mischievous children running down the halls, and other employees speak in hushed tones of ‘Bernie,’ a former worker who haunts the projection room.

www.livenation.com, 625 S 4th St, Louisville, KY 40202

The Palmetto Theater

Hampton, South Carolina

One of our favorite marquees in the South, The Palmetto is a brilliant pop of pink-and-green, Art Deco neon, right in charming, downtown Hampton. The theater opened in 1946, in a post-war building that became a real social hub for this small, South Carolina community. Like so many others, its story includes falling on hard times in the last 40 years, and in 2021, a community fundraising effort helped refurbish the movie cinema, now under non-profit status. The Palmetto’s sign lit up once more, and inside, state-of-the-art digital projectors and refreshed interiors welcomed guests. The Palmetto is an incredible place to sit for a movie, full of bygone detail, gorgeous, old-world cinema charm, and a capacity of 200. They show both classic and recent releases, as well as independent films. Certain months also feature art exhibits, live theater, and even concerts with Grammy-recognized musical artists.

www.palmettotheater.org, 109 Lee Ave, Hampton, SC 29924

The Byrd Theater

Richmond, Virginia

Every aspect of this 1928 theater is special and spectacular, whether it’s the foyer, greeting you with marble and original murals, or the glittery extravagance of the 5,000-crystal, European chandelier. The 1,200-seat house is resplendent in French Empire style, the original accents by architect Fred Bishop carefully preserved. Tickets for films are fixed at $8, and each week, the place shows comedies or cult classics, family movies, or art houses. There are film festivals several times per year and before each show, organist Bob Gulledge fires up the Might Wurlitzer, playing 15 minutes of fun jingles and show tunes.

byrdtheatre.org, 2908 W Cary St, Richmond, VA 23221

The Asolo Repertory Theater

Sarasota, Florida

The Asolo is named for the small town of Asolo, Italy, where the first director of the John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Everett ‘Chick’ Austin, saw a stunning, 18th-century theater while traveling. Today, the company mainly performs in the Mertz Theater, an intimate, 500-plus-seat room, which was originally an opera house in Dunfermline Scotland. The Baroque-style opera house was sent, piece-by-piece across the Atlantic Ocean, to be reassembled in the current FSU Center for Performing Arts in Sarasota. The center houses the Asolo Repertory Theater, FSU/Asolo Conservatory program, and the Sarasota Ballet. This troupe creates, choreographs, and performs up to six works per season, ranging from contemporary to classic to musicals.

www.asolorep.org, 5555 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34243

The MSU Riley Center

Meridian, Mississippi

Glorious and gilded, this Victorian-era theater transports you to turn-of-the-century performance, via incredible acoustics and opulent finishes.

The theater dates to 1889 and two German-Jewish immigrants, Israel Marks and Levi Rothenberg, built the theater and the adjacent department store. The building’s striking exterior, with its Empire details and mansard roof, was designed by Gustavus Maurice Torgerson, who was also the architect of Meridian's original City Hall.

As the film age dawned, the theater shuttered in 1927. The Riley Foundation and a group of passionate citizens saved the structure, completing a $12-million-dollar renovation in 2026. It relaunched as the Mississippi State University Riley Center for Education and Performing Arts (affectionately the MSU Riley Center), and that adjacent department store section is now home to a conference facility boasting modern amenities, set behind a fully restored facade.

msurileycenter.com, 2200 5th St, Meridian, MS 39301

The Saenger Theater

New Orleans, Louisiana

The Saenger Theater opened to great fanfare, with a parade numbering in the thousands marching down Canal Street in February of 1927. Tickets were $0.65, and 4,000 seats spread beneath a ceiling filled with stars and moving clouds. The days of silent films led to talking pictures, and by the 1960s, the balcony was made into its own separate performance space. By the 1980s, live performances joined films in the calendar lineup.

Hurricane Katrina battered New Orleans with relentless flooding in 2005, and one of the losses included this historic showhouse. A $53-million-dollar revitalization project brought this 1927 gem back to sparkling life in 2013. Every painstaking detail was paid, including original paint colors and historic marquee restoration, as well as accurate carpet design and lighting fixtures, and the re-opening act was none other than Jerry Seinfeld.

www.saengernola.com, 1111 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70112

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