Victoria Theatre – Dayton
Current Name of Theater: Victoria Theatre
Current Type: Performing arts center
Seats: 1,154
Website: www.victoriatheatre.com
Historic Names of Theater: Turner Opera House, The Music Hall, The Grand Opera House, Victoria Opera House, Victory Theatre, Victoria Theatre
Address: 138 North Main Street, Dayton, OH 45402 – (937) 228-7591
Contact: Bill Bloebaum, Interim President & CEO (937) 228-7591, x3014
Email: bill.bloebaum@victoriatheatre.com
Year Built / Style: 1866 / Italianate
Original Architect:
Original Cost: $225,000
Listed on National Register: yes 72001037
History of Theater:
Since 1866, the “Magnificent Edifice” at First and Main Streets has held many names and forms, but one thing has remained constant – a tradition of celebrating and enriching life through the performing arts.
The Victoria, one of the oldest continually operated theaters on the continent, was opened to the public as the Turner Opera House on New Year’s Day, 1866, at a cost of $225,000 and enjoyed three years of success before fire consumed the hall. Arson was suspected of having caused the all-consuming fire May 16, 1869, which destroyed the theater at a loss of $500,000, of which insurance covered only $128,000. In 1871, the edifice was re-opened – its rebuilding based, in part, on a portion of the surviving facade, although built to three stories instead of six. The opera house resumed operations as “The Music Hall”. It in 1885 it became “The Grand Opera House”. On September 18, 1899, it became the “Victoria Opera House”, and in 1903, it became the Victoria Theatre two years after the death of Queen Victoria of England.
The next 40 years were prosperous ones for the theatre. Some of America’s most prestigious stars, including Edwin Forrest, Lillie Langtry, Harry Houdini, Sarah Bernhardt and Mark Twain, were featured in productions during this period. The theatre changed names several times during this period as well, becoming the Grand Opera House in 1885, the Victoria Opera House in 1899, and, finally, the Victoria Theatre in 1902.
The flood of 1913 took its toll on the city and the theatre. However, both survived the disaster, and the Victoria was quickly rebuilt. Another fire ravaged the theatre in 1918, and it was rebuilt and reopened in 1919. The name changed once again, to the Victory Theatre, and it entered a period of successful ventures. Fred Bickel, who went on to national fame as Fredric March, was one of the many talented performers featured in productions by the resident theatre company, the Wright Players, from 1927-1930. The Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra was born at the Victory in the 1930s. In the 1940s the theatre enjoyed the film industry’s boom period as a showcase for Warner Brothers Studios, with continued success in the 1950s as the Miami Valley headquarters for Disney films. By 1967, declining economic conditions threatened the theatre’s existence, and it was marked for demolition in 1972.
Cost of Rehabilitation: $17.5 million
Architect:
Contractors:
Source of Funds:
Renovation Story:
Through widespread community support the Victoria gained a listing on the National Register of Historic Places and narrowly escaped the wrecking ball in 1975. Victory Theatre Association was incorporated in 1976, and volunteers began restoration work. In 1977 the Dayton Ballet Company found a home at the Victory, and a new annual season of professional theatre was initiated. Victory Theatre Association purchased the building in 1978, and much of the ornate plaster work was restored, new carpeting was installed and the roof replaced.
In 1988 the Arts Center Foundation acquired the Victory Theatre from Victory Theatre Association and began a $17.5 million renovation project. A year and a half later, the project was completed and the completely renovated theatre was. rechristened the Victoria Theatre.
Today, the Victoria Theatre is home to performances by many of Dayton’s arts organizations, including Dayton Ballet, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company (DCDC), The Muse Machine and CityFolk. In addition, Victoria Theatre Association presents the Chase Broadway Series, Star Attractions, the Young at Heart Family Series, the Michelob Ultra Cool Films series, the Physicians for Kids Education Series and the Universal 1 Variety Series at the Victoria Theatre.
