Top Performing Arts Centers in the South

Some of America’s most magnificent and historic performing arts centers are located in the South. You can enjoy a variety of performances like Broadway plays, orchestra performances, ballets, and musical acts from every genre. Plan your next night out by visiting one of these amazing Southern performing arts centers for a truly unforgettable experience! 

Fox Theatre 
St. Louis, Missouri 

The Fox Theatre is located on North Grand Boulevard, in the heart of St. Louis, Missouri. Dubbed “The Fabulous Fox,” this theatre has been restored back to its former glory with an opulent chandelier and intricate architectural details. First opened in 1929 by film pioneer William Fox, the theatre was one of five Fox theatres built in the 1920s. In 1978, the Fox closed briefly and was restored in 1982. The 4,500-set venue has a rich history of performances, including a 60th birthday concert for St. Louis-born rock and roll pioneer Chuck Berry. Today, you can enjoy live touring Broadway shows, musical acts, and comedians. The theatre also offers a Group Dining Experience for groups of 20 or more. This experience includes priority ticket sales and dining in a private area with a one-of-a-kind show-themed buffet menu prepared by award-winning chefs. Upcoming performances include Beetlejuice: The Musical, comedian Nate Bargatze, and a special holiday performance by Cirque du Soleil. 
fabulousfox.com 

Palace Theatre 
Louisville, Kentucky 

Step into a magical world when you visit the Palace Theatre in Louisville, Kentucky, which is one of the most beautiful historic theatres in the South. This historic venue first opened in September of 1928, and its amazing architecture was designed by John Eberson. The Palace has a Spanish Baroque design with arcades, balconies, and turrets. Cobalt blue with bursts of red and gold light all of the niches, coves, and entrances. Above, a curved, vaulted ceiling features 139 sculptures of the faces of historical figures. The seating area is heavily ornamented, and the ceiling displays an imitation nighttime sky. Both floors of the two-story theatre contain bars, and the grand lobby contains intricate artwork and architecture. Many artists have performed in The Palace, including Frank Sinatra and Ray Charles, as well as modern acts like Alison Krauss, Robert Plant, My Morning Jacket, and Billy Ray Cyrus. The 2,800-seat theatre hosts live musical performances as well as classic and modern movies. 
livenation.com/venue/the-louisville-palace-events 

The Carolina Theatre 
Greensboro, North Carolina 

Take a trip back in time when you step into the beautiful Carolina Theatre in Greensboro, North Carolina. This venue first opened on Halloween night in 1927 as a premier vaudeville theater. Its terracotta façade is one of the most monumental structures of its type ever built in Greensboro and features a Greek temple design with bright green, red, and gold embellishments. In 1981, a fire damaged the theatre and it was closed for one year to repair the damage. After more extensive renovations in 1991, The Carolina Theatre reopened with refurbished dressing rooms, a spacious second-floor banquet area, new sound and lighting equipment, a new heating and cooling system, a modern concession stand, and new restrooms. Today, the theatre is a fully-functioning performing arts facility and is home to several performing arts groups, such as the Greensboro Ballet, the Community Theatre of Greensboro, and the Greensboro Opera. The Carolina Theatre now offers live music, comedy acts, plays, and also hosts film festivals featuring classic films. 
carolinatheatre.com 

Tennessee Theatre 
Knoxville, Tennessee 

The Tennessee Theatre is a beloved landmark of downtown Knoxville and a pillar in the arts and cultural scene there. Originally built as a movie palace in 1928 by renowned architect George A. Fuller, this extravagant theatre was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 and extensively restored in the early 2000s. Its Spanish Moore style of architecture incorporates elements from all over the world, including Czechoslovakian crystals in the French-style chandeliers, Italian terrazzo flooring in the Grand Lobby, and Asian influences in the carpet and drapery patterns. The Tennessee Theatre offers a wide range of performing arts events, including Broadway musicals, live music, and comedy shows. It also shows classic films and is home to the Knoxville Opera and the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. 
tennesseetheatre.com 

Schermerhorn Symphony Center 
Nashville, Tennessee 

While Nashville is known around the world for country music, it’s also a thriving hub for the performing arts. See for yourself when you visit the beautiful Schermerhorn Symphony Center in downtown Nashville. The symphony hall is named in honor of the late Maestro Kenneth Schermerhorn, who led the GRAMMY Award-winning Nashville Symphony for 22 years. The 1,844-seat Laura Turner Concert Hall is the heart of the Schermerhorn and is one of the few concert halls to feature natural light. Thirty soundproof clerestory windows illuminate the concert hall and feature symbolic motifs like irises, horseshoes, and coffee beans. A unique feature of the Schermerhorn is the motorized orchestra-level seats, which can be lowered through the floor to reveal a Brazilian cherry and hickory parquet floor. This lets the concert hall be converted into a 5,700-square-foot ballroom in approximately two hours! The Schermerhorn Symphony Center also has a public garden, which is enclosed by a colonnade and features several ornate golden statues among the greenery. An historic flood damaged the symphony hall in May of 2010, but the venue was repaired and reopened less than 8 months later on December 31, 2010. The Schermerhorn hosts a wide range of musical events, including classical, pop, jazz, and world music. Several well-known musicians frequently collaborate with the Nashville Symphony for one-of-a-kind performances. 
nashvillesymphony.org 

Alabama Theatre 
Birmingham, Alabama 

The historic Alabama Theatre is located in the heart of downtown Birmingham, Alabama. First opened in 1927, the theatre once featured vaudeville acts and silent films. The original Wurlitzer theater organ used for silent films still remains, and is only one of three of the same style of organ still installed in its original location. This organ is unique because it can produce a variety of sounds that were once used exclusively for silent films. In 1993, The Alabama Theatre was designated as the official state historic theater of the state of Alabama. An extensive renovation of the theatre in 1998 brought it back to its former glory. Hosting more than 250 events each year, the Alabama Theatre features live music, Broadway-style shows, ballets, operas, and classic films. 
alabamatheatre.com 

Tivoli Theatre 
Chattanooga, Tennessee 

The beautiful Tivoli Theatre, located in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is also known as “Jewel of the South.” When the theatre first opened in 1921, it was one of the first air-conditioned public buildings in the United States. The theatre was constructed in the Beaux Arts architectural style, which was popular in the late 19th and early 20th century in America. Its extravagant interior features a rose and gold coffered ceiling, the original box office, a grand lobby with a white terrazzo floor inlaid with forest-green marble and music motif medallions, crystal chandeliers, and plush red velvet chairs. For several decades, the Tivoli Theatre was the main location for stage and film entertainment in Chattanooga. After more modern theaters opened and the television was invented, the Tivoli was in disrepair until a major renovation project in 1987. The theatre is now fully restored and home to the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera, and regularly hosts live music, dance performances, comedians, and Broadway shows. 
tivolichattanooga.com/tivoli-theatre