The Palace Theatre in downtown Columbus is turning 100 years old, and the celebration kicks off this weekend with a free open house that lets visitors wander the historic stage, snap photos and catch pop-up performances. The 2,695-seat venue at 34 W. Broad St. opened on Nov. 8, 1926, with live vaudeville acts and a silent film, and it officially crosses the century mark that same date this November.
A Free Birthday Party Before the Big Day
According to The Columbus Dispatch, the Palace's free birthday celebration runs from 1 to 5 p.m. this Saturday, Sept. 26, with guests invited to take photos onstage, explore the theater and watch pop-up performances. The event is billed as a drop-in-anytime open house, according to CAPA, so there's no need to arrive at a set time. Attendees will also have tours available and a chance to win $100 CAPA gift cards.
The theater itself has quite a résumé to show off during those tours. Designed by architect Thomas W. Lamb as part of what is now known as the LeVeque Tower, the Palace is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, per the same Dispatch report. It was originally built for vaudeville performances, and over the decades it has hosted stage performances, live theatre, live music concerts and stand-up comedy.
From Near-Demolition to Full Restoration
The Palace hasn't always had it easy. The Dispatch reports that Katherine S. LeVeque saved the theater from demolition in 1975 after RKO closed it, investing $3 million to restore the space before it reopened in 1980. She later gifted the Palace to CAPA — the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts — in 1989. A more recent $6.5 million overhaul of the main auditorium in 2018 brought infrastructure repairs, new seats, a new roof and an LED lighting system, the outlet notes.
Since its start as a vaudeville hall, the theater's reinvention has taken it through stints as a Big Band venue and a movie house, on its way to today's mix of touring Broadway shows, concerts and comedy, the Dispatch reports. CAPA has said it intends to keep that variety going. “By continuing to offer a wide variety of programs, we can make sure that everyone has something they connect to,” Chad Whittington, CAPA's president and CEO, told the Dispatch, pointing to Columbus's growth and increasing diversity.
What Else Is On the Centennial Calendar
The birthday bash is just the opener for a busy fall lineup. CAPA Haunts the Palace, a trick-or-treating event, is scheduled for Oct. 21, and Pirates! The Penzance Musical has performances at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 6 and 2 p.m. on Nov. 8 — landing right on the Palace's actual 100th birthday. In December, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical rounds out the centennial season.
The marquee event may be The Genius of Ray Charles, a musical tribute hosted by bandleader Paul Shaffer set for Nov. 14. Per ABC6 OnYourSide, the show will feature performers Patti Austin, Aloe Blacc, Blessing Offor, Lisa Fischer and Billy Valentine. Tickets for that performance are already on sale.
The First of Three Centennials for CAPA
The Palace is just the first domino in a longer celebration. CAPA and the Columbus Metropolitan Libraries have built archival collections for three theaters marking their 100th anniversaries between 2026 and 2028, starting with the Palace, according to CAPA's centennial page. As Columbus Underground notes, the Ohio Theatre and Lincoln Theatre were both completed in 1928, putting their own centennials on deck as CAPA's celebration rolls forward. For now, though, the spotlight belongs to the Palace, where CAPA says it will host special performances and community events throughout 2026 to mark the milestone.
