Southern Theatre
Columbus, OH
One of the oldest surviving theaters in Ohio, the Southern Theatre’s ornate interiors and spectacular acoustics still impress more than a century after the performance hall opened in 1896. Today, the theater is home to the Opera Columbus, the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, Chamber Music Columbus, and the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra. The venue was completely renovated in 1998 and visitors can admire its gilded proscenium arches and side boxes, three tiers of seating, and other original architectural details.
The basics
The Southern Theatre was designed to host touring theatrical productions and later accommodated vaudeville, cinema, dance, and other shows. Today, it hosts concerts and events year-round by visiting performers or its four resident orchestras. The theater does not offer tours, so book tickets to an upcoming show to admire the interiors. Evening show times make it easy to pair a performance here with a sightseeing day covering Columbus’ top sights, including the Columbus Art Museum, Center of Science and Industry (COSI), and Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.
Things to know before you go
- You must purchase a ticket for a performance to enter the Southern Theatre; tickets are sold online or at the CBUSArts Ticket Center box office, located at the Ohio Theatre.
- Booster seats are available for families with young children.
- The theater has a coat check, restrooms, and a concession stand selling snacks and drinks.
- There is disabled access, reserved wheelchair seating for all shows, and wheelchairs are available for loan from the coat check.
How to get there
The Southern Theatre is located in the heart of downtown Columbus along several city bus lines. Parking is available just across the street at the Columbus Commons parking garage. You can also reach the theater on foot from nearby downtown attractions and hotels.
When to get there
The theater is open year-round for concerts by the resident orchestras and visiting shows and performances. Check the CAPA (Columbus Association for the Performing Arts) website to see the upcoming program and purchase tickets online. You can also buy tickets from the box office at the nearby Ohio Theatre.
Columbus’ Ohio Theatre
The Southern Theatre sits just a couple of blocks from one of the city’s other landmark performance spaces: the Ohio Theatre. A National Historic Landmark built in 1928 and meticulously renovated, this lavish performance space features Spanish baroque interiors and a massive 20-foot (6-meter) central chandelier. Architecture buffs and lovers of historic theaters can visit this former movie hall to watch contemporary performers surrounded by ornate 20th-century glamour.
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