Live Karaoke Academy Center for the Arts Lynchburg Va

The Historic Academy of Music Theatre is i of Lynchburg's well-nigh notable historical treasures. First opened on February 1, 1905, the theatre boasted perfect sightlines and extraordinary acoustics, attracting nationally acclaimed performing artists. Later closing its doors in 1958, the theatre had remained unused for 60 years. Through the efforts of the Academy Center of the Arts' board and staff, as well every bit the defended members of the community, the restorations of the Celebrated Theatre were brought to completion and the theatre was reopened on December six, 2018.

HISTORY

The Academy of Music Theatre was opened on Feb i, 1905, and over the next six years grew to become one of the well-nigh prominent and well-attended theatres in Central Virginia. In a typical week, the Academy presented as many as 9 live events, ranging from individual artists to full musicals with casts of upward to a hundred performers, to the pop silent films of the day.

The University of Music Theatre was originally built largely due to the efforts of Richard D. Apperson, possessor of the Lynchburg Traction and Light Company. Apperson too became the University of Music's first president. Because of his participation in the project, the theatre was the first public infinite in Lynchburg to have electricity.

The original theatre built in 1905 is not the version of the theatre we meet today. That theatre sat on the aforementioned foundation (which was originally a tobacco warehouse). This theatre was smaller, had only one balcony, and was less ornate. In 1911, this version of the theatre was victim to a fire that damaged a substantial amount of the space and was subsequently airtight for nigh an unabridged year.

In 1912, local concern leader Charles Guggenheimer and his assemblage of over twenty investors brought the theatre back to life. The repaired Academy of Music Theatre was reopened in 1912, thanks to the piece of work of nationally renowned theatre designer, C.K. Howell of Richmond, VA, and was now more ornate and better lit.

The theatre continued to host notable actors and performers in the years that followed. Withal, as "show business organisation" began to slowly die with the rising popularity of films, the theatre began to present fewer live performances and segued into primarily showing films.

A myriad of performers came through the venue at its height from 1905 through the 1920s. Among them included: George M. Cohan, Sarah Bernhardt, Paderewski, Pavlova, Mary Pickford, John Philip Sousa, John Drew, Will Rogers, Maude Adams, Douglas Fairbanks, The Ziegfeld Follies, Eubie Blake, Josephine Bakery, and Bert Lahr.

When the theatre entered the 1930s, the venue began to decline. Through the years, people'due south amusement and shopping habits changed radically, affecting theatres and picture show houses in cities across America. After fighting to remain open for several years, the theatre finally closed its doors in 1958, the last of the nine theatres Lynchburg used to boast.

As integration in Lynchburg did not occur until the 1960s, the theatre remained a segregated infinite, utilizing the upper balcony as the segregated seating area, from 1912 through the closure in 1958. The reopening of the theatre in 2022 was the commencement time that space was integrated, 60 years later.

Although the infinite was closed, the Lynchburg community did not let the venue die. In the 1970s, an attempt was made to designate the theatre every bit a historic landmark, ensuring that the space could not be demolished past the metropolis as many other celebrated theatres were.  In the 1980s, the edifice was sold to Freedom University for its utilise and so was resold to the University of Music Theatre non-profit organization in the 1990s. A merger of this group and the Fine Arts Eye followed in 2003, renamed the University of Fine Arts, which took buying of the venue and expanse around it.

With ownership of the venue in hand, a grassroots fundraising campaign followed under the management of the Academy of Fine Arts leadership and proud community supporters. About $xvi one thousand thousand has been raised in previous campaigns, which funded the structure of the Warehouse Theatre in 2005, and a new wing belfry and stage firm for the Historic Theater in 2008 following. The terminal fundraising efforts of the entrada ultimately raised and advocated for the $30M used to restore and renovate the Historic Theatre to its current state seen today.

Renovations on the venue began in 2022 under the management of CJMW and Jamerson-Lewis Construction. The Historic Academy Theatre was reopened on Dec 6, 2018, lx years following its closure.

Opening week at the Academy was filled with events and performances that historic the restoration of the historic space. The week began with an evening of reflection and celebration of the theatre as a place where all are welcome, emceed by quondam NASA astronaut, Leland Melvin.

The dark began with the presentation of three awards recognizing the contributions of community members who have made invaluable contributions to arts and culture in Lynchburg. The concert portion of the evening that followed began with an opening functioning by musician Devon Gilfillian. To end the dark, Grammy award-winning R&B-gospel singer and civil rights activist Mavis Staples took the stage.

In addition to this evening, Opening Week activities likewise hosted performances past the Charlottesville Ballet, the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra and Youth Orchestra, Jefferson Choral Club, Thomas Jefferson'south Poplar Forest, Opera on the James, Endstation Theatre Company,  and an evening of jazz with the Jazz at Lincoln Middle Orchestra, headed by Wynton Marsalis.

The Celebrated Academy Theatre will continue to provide the community with an incredible historic space in which to bask live performances, films, concerts, and more.

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Source: https://academycenter.org/historic-academy-theatre/

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