Welcome to the Madison Theater. This beautiful old theater in Covington, Kentucky dates to 1912 and the days of silent film when it was called the Lyric Theater.. It later was adapted to show talkies as films with sound gained popularity. Now it’s a popular concert venue with a full schedule.
I caught a glimpse while driving down the street and was excited to stop on the way back through.
We were looking for something else but I was thrilled to take a minute to stop and admire this beautiful marquee. Do your best to never be so busy that you can’t stop to admire something fabulous along life’s journey.
It’s Friday. The weekend is near. Go enjoy fall. Live life and go around the block for a better look at some of those things that catch your eye. Make this weekend count!
It’s been a fixture in downtown Clarksburg, West Virginia since 1913. Although the original Robinson Grand Theater looked a little different – it stood more than seventy feet off the sidewalk and had a covered walkway leading to the front door.
It was built as a vaudeville house and was part of the Keith-Albee Vaudeville circuit. Entertainers like Edgar Bergen with Charlie appeared here as did Jack Benny and Amos and Andy.
The theater was enlarged and remodeled in 1927, becoming just the thirteenth theater in the country to install equipment for showing “talkies.” Now the theater could seat 1,500 people and the design sounds both elaborate and impressive.
Sadly, most of that was lost when a fire broke out and destroyed the stage and most of the house but left the facade intact. Owner Claude Robinson promised the community he would rebuild the state’s most modern theater and he did. It reopened to great fanfare just seven months later on Christmas Eve 1939.
While they maintained the 1927 facade that was soared by fire, the 1939 version of the interior is what remains today.
The theater continued to operate well into the eighties, showing modern classics like Star Wars and Jaws. It changed hands, underwent another remodeling, hosted events and remained a community gathering place for some time before decline eventually led to closure.
The theater was acquired by the city in 2014 and the city undertook a massive project to renovate, restore and honor the integrity of this incredible Art Deco community landmark. The city viewed it not only as an opportunity to bring the arts to the citizens of their rural area but also as a means for encouraging economic development.
Today, you can host your own event here or attend events like movies, concerts and plays. I have seen pictures of the interior and visited the exterior on a quiet Sunday morning. It all looks magnificent.
The details on the sign and marquee remind me of an elaborate crown fit for a queen and the entire building brightens up the downtown.
Plan to attend an event here and get more info about the theater by visiting their website.
This gem is just a few blocks from the Airbnb where we stayed in Denver. We saw it from the car window a few times and I demanded that we go back for a quick picture even though what I badly wanted was to go inside for a show.
Like every other theater in the country, they’re closed right now and holding their collective breath for a brighter day.
They’ve been around since 1913 so I can only hope they will hold on until circumstances improve. Interior pictures on their website look incredible so I would love sit inside for a show sometime.
Someday.
As a spirit animal, the bluebird is meant to symbolize a life of joy. So we will look forward to joyful days when stages like that at the Bluebird are full again.
Want to learn more about the Bluebird Theater? Click here!
This gem is just a few blocks from the Airbnb where we stayed in Denver. We saw it from the car window a few times and I demanded that we go back for a quick picture even though what I badly wanted was to go inside for a show.
Want to learn more about the Bluebird Theater?