It was designed by the architectural firm Yost & Packard and originally housed a hotel, the Southern Hotel, within the same building complex.
The theater was one of the first in the Midwest to be entirely illuminated by electricity upon its opening.
The venue was famously closed for nearly 20 years between 1979 and 1998 before being fully renovated.
The theater's acoustics were specifically designed to accommodate unamplified voice and music, a rarity for theaters of its vintage.
It famously served as a silent movie house during the early 20th century, utilizing a Wurlitzer pipe organ to accompany films.
The Southern Theatre is the oldest surviving theater in Columbus, Ohio, originally opening in 1896. Managed by the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts (CAPA), the venue serves as a primary space for concerts, comedy, and theatrical productions. The interior features a distinctive Mediterranean-inspired decor, notable for its ornate plasterwork and golden proscenium arch. It underwent a major restoration in the late 1990s to preserve its Victorian-era structural integrity while modernizing technical stage capabilities. The auditorium maintains a traditional horseshoe seating arrangement typical of late 19th-century opera houses. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The center of the grand lobby staircase, which perfectly frames the ornate plasterwork of the theater entrance.
Check the balcony seating view; while the view is excellent, the legroom is significantly more limited than in the orchestra section.
Visit the main lobby early to view the restored historical architectural details before the crowd enters the auditorium.
Arrive early to locate parking in nearby garages, as street parking is highly competitive during performance nights.
Do not wait until the last minute to purchase tickets for popular shows, as the intimate size of the venue causes events to sell out quickly.
The theater is generally closed to the public except for scheduled performances and ticketed events.
Business casual is recommended, though not strictly required; maintain quiet during performances as the acoustics carry sound easily.
