Columbus, OH

Columbus's Southern Theatre opened on 21 September 1896 as part of a project that also included a hotel. Its construction followed a series of destructive local theatre fires, and the designers paid particular attention to fire-resistant materials. Concentric arches around the stage shaped the auditorium, while electric lighting formed part of the new building's equipment. Over time, the theatre accommodated touring performances, vaudeville, silent films and dance. Its surviving architecture gives those changing forms of entertainment a common setting. The Southern is a reminder that the city's performance history developed through both artistic demand and practical decisions about buildings and audiences.