The National Theater is a historic theater in
Richmond, Virginia. Part of a city block along the 700 block of
Broad Street once known as Theatre Row, it is the only surviving auditorium of the row (the others now exist in facade only).
The National Theater was built in 1923, originally staging both live entertainment (such as
vaudeville
Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...
shows) as well as motion-pictures.
In 1968, it was converted into a dedicated cinema, which closed on September 5, 1983.
Restored and reopened in 2008 by RIC Capital Ventures, the theater, operating as The National, is used as a performing arts and music venue.
In 2014, the venue was acquired by
AEG Live
Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft AG (AEG; ) was a German producer of electrical equipment founded in Berlin as the ''Deutsche Edison-Gesellschaft für angewandte Elektricität'' in 1883 by Emil Rathenau. During the Second World War, AEG ...
.
It was added to the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
in 2003 and is located in the
Grace Street Commercial Historic District
The Grace Street Commercial Historic District is a national historic district located in Richmond, Virginia. The district encompasses 93 contributing buildings located in downtown Richmond. The buildings reflect the core of the city's early 20 ...
.
References
External links
Official website
National Register of Historic Places in Richmond, Virginia
Renaissance Revival architecture in Virginia
Theatres completed in 1923
Theatres on the National Register of Historic Places in Virginia
1923 establishments in Virginia
Individually listed contributing properties to historic districts on the National Register in Virginia
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