The Historic Theaters of Connecticut
Connecticut is unusually rich in restored movie and vaudeville palaces from the 1910s–30s — gilded rooms that nearly all faced the wrecking ball before communities saved them. The Shubert (1914), the Palace in Waterbury (1922), the Garde (1926), the Bushnell (1930), and the Warner (1931) are the headliners — and they still host concerts today.
Drive through almost any Connecticut city downtown and you'll find a marquee from another era. The state held onto a remarkable number of its grand old theaters, and thanks to decades of restoration work, they're not museums — they're working concert halls. Here's a tour of the best, oldest first.
The Bijou Theatre, Bridgeport (1909)
The oldest of them all, the Bijou opened in 1909 and bills itself as the oldest building in America that opened as a combined movie and live-performance space and still operates as one. It's tiny — about 200 seats with cabaret tables — and a genuine jewel box.
The Shubert Theatre, New Haven (1914)
The Shubert earned the nickname "Birthplace of the Nation's Greatest Hits" as a legendary pre-Broadway tryout house — more than 600 out-of-town tryouts and 300-plus world premieres, including Rodgers & Hammerstein classics. The ~1,600-seat hall reopened in 1983 and still hosts Broadway tours, concerts, and dance.
See what's playing the grand old halls
The free CT Concert Center app lists upcoming shows at Connecticut's historic theaters — plus 40+ venues statewide — in one daily-updated feed.
Download on theApp StoreThe Palace Theater, Waterbury (1922)
Opened as Poli's Palace in 1922 — built by impresario Sylvester Z. Poli and designed by architect Thomas W. Lamb in opulent Renaissance Revival style — the Waterbury Palace is one of the most spectacular interiors in the state. A major 2004 restoration brought the ~2,500-seat hall back to life for Broadway, concerts, and comedy.
The Garde Arts Center, New London (1926)
The Garde opened in 1926 as a vaudeville house and movie palace, famous for its Moroccan-themed interior and hand-painted murals. Saved by a nonprofit in 1985, the ~1,500-seat hall is now the cultural anchor of the shoreline.
The Palace Theatre, Stamford (1927) & the Palace Danbury (1928)
Two more 1920s palaces round out the southwest. The Palace Theatre in Stamford (another Thomas Lamb design, 1927, ~1,580 seats) anchors the Stamford Center for the Arts, while the Palace Danbury (1928) was reborn in 2008 as an intimate ~400-seat room after decades as a grand movie house.
The Bushnell, Hartford (1930) & the Warner, Torrington (1931)
The capital's Bushnell opened in 1930 — a National Historic Landmark whose ~2,800-seat Mortensen Hall hosts Broadway, the symphony, and concerts. A year later, Warner Bros. opened the Art Deco Warner Theatre in Torrington (1931, another Thomas Lamb design). Slated for demolition in the 1980s, it was saved by a grassroots campaign and is now northwest Connecticut's largest performing-arts center.
Why Connecticut kept its theaters
The common thread is rescue. Nearly every theater on this list was, at some point, headed for demolition before a nonprofit or a community campaign stepped in to save and restore it. That's why a small state ended up with such a deep bench of grand old halls — and why a concert in one of them comes with a side of history. The intimate Klein Memorial in Bridgeport (1940, Art Deco) is a slightly later addition to the tradition.
Historic theaters FAQ
What's the oldest?
The Bijou in Bridgeport (1909), then the Shubert in New Haven (1914).
Who designed many of them?
Architect Thomas W. Lamb (Waterbury, Stamford, Torrington), often for impresario Sylvester Z. Poli.
Can you still see concerts there?
Yes — almost all were restored and host concerts, comedy, and Broadway today.
How do I find shows?
The free CT Concert Center app lists them all in one feed.