Long before streaming and multiplexes, American cities built grand theaters for vaudeville, movies and touring shows. Many were torn down, but a remarkable group survived, was restored and still fills its seats with concerts, Broadway tours and comedy nights. Here are twelve historic American theaters that still host live shows.
1. Ford’s Theatre: Lincoln’s theater still has a stage
Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., is where President Abraham Lincoln was shot on April 14, 1865. According to the National Park Service, the restored theatre reopened to the public in 1968, and the building now operates as a working theatre through a partnership with the Ford’s Theatre Society.
Visitors can tour the theatre, a museum about the assassination and the Petersen House across the street, where Lincoln died the next morning. Because it is a