The Historic Theaters of Connecticut
Connecticut is full of historic theaters. They are restored movie and vaudeville palaces from the 1910s to 1930s. Nearly all of these gilded rooms were once set to be torn down. Then towns saved them. The Shubert (1914), the Palace in Waterbury (1922), the Garde (1926), the Bushnell (1930), and the Warner (1931) are the stars. They still host concerts today.
Drive through almost any Connecticut downtown and you'll spot an old marquee. The state kept a lot of its grand old theaters. Thanks to years of repair 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 Bijou is the oldest of them all. It opened in 1909. It says it's the oldest building in America that opened for both movies and live shows and still does both. It's tiny, with about 200 seats at cabaret tables. It's a true jewel box.
The Shubert Theatre, New Haven (1914)
The Shubert is a famous tryout house, where shows got tested before Broadway. It has hosted more than 600 tryouts and 300-plus world premieres. Rodgers & Hammerstein classics were among them. That's how it got its nickname, "Birthplace of the Nation's Greatest Hits." The hall has about 1,600 seats. It 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 shows what's coming to Connecticut's historic theaters. It adds 40+ venues statewide in one daily-updated feed.
Download on theApp StoreThe Palace Theater, Waterbury (1922)
The Waterbury Palace opened as Poli's Palace in 1922. Showman Sylvester Z. Poli built it. Architect Thomas W. Lamb designed it in a rich Renaissance Revival style. It has one of the most stunning rooms in the state. A big 2004 restoration brought the hall back to life. Its 2,500 or so seats now fill for Broadway, concerts, and comedy.
The Garde Arts Center, New London (1926)
The Garde opened in 1926 as a vaudeville house and movie palace. It's famous for its Moroccan-style interior and hand-painted murals. A nonprofit saved it in 1985. Now the hall seats about 1,500. It's the arts hub of the shoreline.
The Palace Theatre, Stamford (1927) & the Palace Danbury (1928)
Two more 1920s palaces sit in the southwest. The Palace Theatre in Stamford opened in 1927. It's another Thomas Lamb design, with about 1,580 seats. It anchors the Stamford Center for the Arts. The Palace Danbury (1928) was a grand movie house for decades. In 2008 it came back as a cozy room with about 400 seats.
The Bushnell, Hartford (1930) & the Warner, Torrington (1931)
The capital's Bushnell opened in 1930. It's a National Historic Landmark. Its Mortensen Hall seats about 2,800 and hosts Broadway, the symphony, and concerts. A year later, Warner Bros. opened the Art Deco Warner Theatre in Torrington (1931). It's another Thomas Lamb design. In the 1980s it was set to be torn down. A local campaign saved it. Now it's northwest Connecticut's largest performing-arts center.
Why Connecticut kept its theaters
The common thread is rescue. Nearly every theater here was once headed for the wrecking ball. Then a nonprofit or a town campaign stepped in to save it. That's why a small state has so many grand old halls. A concert in one comes with a side of history. The cozy Klein Memorial in Bridgeport (1940, Art Deco) joined the club a bit later.
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 did the ones in Waterbury, Stamford, and Torrington. He often worked for showman Sylvester Z. Poli.
Can you still see concerts there?
Yes. Almost all were restored. Today they host concerts, comedy, and Broadway.
How do I find shows?
The free CT Concert Center app has them all in one feed.