The Ohio Theatre, now nearly 100 years old, is a jewel in the heart of Ohio that was nearly demolished in the late 1960s. (Credit: Ken Drenten)

By Ken Drenten

The Ohio Theatre in downtown Columbus is home to the Columbus Symphony, BalletMet, and Broadway in Columbus, and also hosts Columbus Association for the Performing Arts (CAPA)-presented performances, as well as a wide variety of touring artists and shows each year.

The gorgeous theater, built in 1928, is truly a splendid showplace, more than merely a venue for viewing the arts. It is a jewel in Ohio’s heart, and it almost was lost.

I recall going with my family to the Summer Movie Series at the Ohio Theatre and watching performances on the 1928 Mighty Morgan pipe organ prior to screenings. The amazingly decorated theatre interior and the majestic organ combined to make the experience much more than simply watching a movie.

Scottish-born architect Thomas W. Lamb designed the Ohio Theatre as “a palace for the average man.” It opened in 1928 as a Loew’s movie house, complete with its own orchestra and theatre organ. In addition to movies, live performance shows touring the Loews circuit found a home on the Ohio stage.

During its heyday, many top performers headlined at the Ohio, including Milton Berle, Ray Bolger, Cab Calloway, Buddy Ebsen, Martha Raye, Jean Harlow, Ginger Rogers, Kate Smith, and a young emcee with a violin named Jack Benny.

Anne Dornan was chosen to decorate and furnish the Ohio. Dornan was one of the first women to graduate from the Columbia School of Architecture. Dornan traveled around the world to select art and furnishings, even going on a safari to find appropriate decorations for the “Africa Corner” in the lower lounge of the Ohio. Approximately $1 million was spent on art and furnishings – more than the cost of the building itself.

The Ohio Theatre marquee at night. (Credit: Ken Drenten)

The Ohio Theatre thrived as a movie house until the suburban sprawl of the 1960s drew traffic out of downtown. Like many other grand theatres of the past, the Ohio was headed for demolition.

In 1969, the citizens of central Ohio mounted a “Save the Ohio” campaign, raising more than $2 million in less than a year in an unprecedented effort.

The newly formed Columbus Association for the Performing Arts (CAPA) subsequently purchased and renovated the Ohio Theatre, creating a home for Columbus’ performing arts organizations that is today recognized as the Official Theatre for the State of Ohio. The theater is also a National Historic Landmark.

The Ohio Theatre is part of the historic capital of Ohio in downtown Columbus. See what else is unique about Columbus in this video. If this video does not appear in the email, use this link — https://youtu.be/0yeqdpWgvwA

The Ohio Theatre (614-469-0939) is located at 39 E. State Street in downtown Columbus, between Third and High streets, across State Street from the Ohio Statehouse.

Ken Drenten is creator and editor of Dusty-Tires.com, a travel blog for out-of-the-ordinary places in Ohio.

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