The Palace Theater, Waterbury: A Complete Guide
The Palace Theater is the crown jewel of downtown Waterbury — a lavishly restored 1922 movie palace that now serves as greater Waterbury's center for the performing arts. With one of the largest stages in the state, it's the venue that brings full national Broadway tours and big touring concerts to central Connecticut without anyone having to drive to Hartford or New Haven.
A 1922 Thomas Lamb palace
The Palace opened on January 28, 1922 as one of impresario Sylvester Poli's grand vaudeville-and-movie houses, designed by the legendary theater architect Thomas W. Lamb. The interior is an opulent Renaissance Revival mix of Greek, Roman, Arabic and Federal detailing — the kind of gilded, ornate room they simply don't build anymore. It's listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and walking in is half the experience.
From dark to dazzling
Like a lot of America's movie palaces, the Palace fell on hard times — it closed in 1987 and sat dark for the better part of two decades. A roughly $30 million restoration brought it back, and it reopened in 2004, with Tony Bennett (who'd also played one of its final shows before it went dark) returning to christen the revived stage. Today it's run by a nonprofit and seats roughly 2,500 — large enough for the biggest touring productions.
Never miss a Palace show
See every upcoming concert and Broadway tour at the Palace Theater — and 40+ other Connecticut venues — in the free CT Concert Center app.
Download on theApp StoreWhat plays there
The Palace runs a proper Broadway series of national touring productions, alongside headliner concerts, big-name stand-up comedy, dance, family shows, and a jazz program. It's a true multipurpose house: in a single season you might catch a hit musical, a legacy rock act, and a comedian who sells out arenas elsewhere. If touring Broadway is your thing, see how it fits into the state's wider scene in our guide to Broadway shows in Connecticut.
Getting there & parking
The Palace is at 100 East Main Street, right in the heart of downtown Waterbury and easy to reach off I-84. The venue points patrons to the nearby Scovill Street parking garage for events, with handicap drop-off out front on East Main Street. As with any big show, arriving early makes the in-and-out painless.
Around Waterbury
The Palace anchors the city's live scene — see what else is on in our guide to concert venues in Waterbury. It's also one of Connecticut's great historic theaters, a category the state is unusually rich in.
Every Palace show lands in the CT Concert Center app, alongside every other venue across the state — so you'll never miss a tour rolling through Waterbury.