Lucas Theatre

The Lucas Theatre is a theater in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Built in 1921, the theater closed in 1976 and was slated to be demolished, but preservation efforts lead to the theater reopening in 2000. The theater, owned by the Savannah College of Art and Design, is the home venue for the Savannah Philharmonic Orchestra.

Lucas Theatre
Lucas Theatre (2011)
Location within Georgia (U.S. state)
Lucas Theatre (the United States)
Alternative namesLucas Theatre for the Arts
General information
Architectural styleSpanish Baroque
Address32 Abercorn Street
Savannah, Georgia, United States
Coordinates32°4′43.5″N 81°5′21″W
OpenedDecember 26, 1921
OwnerSavannah College of Art and Design
Design and construction
ArchitectClaude K. Howell

History

The Lucas Theatre was designed by architect Claude K. Howell in the Spanish Baroque style[1] and opened to the public on December 26, 1921.[2] The theater, located on Abercorn Street, was the idea of Arthur Lucas, a businessman from Atlanta who named the theater after himself.[3] Lucas, whose first theater was opened in Savannah in 1907, would go on to own several dozen theaters throughout Georgia, including the Fox Theatre in Atlanta.[2] At the time of its construction, the theater could hold about 1,700 people, and some called it the "Jewel of Savannah".[3] The building's interior featured a large dome and floors made of marble,[3] while the outside of the building featured a large wrought iron marquee.[2] In 1927, the theater became the first building in Savannah to have air conditioning when it was installed in May of that year.[4] At some time in the 1930s, the wrought iron marquee was replaced by a neon sign.[2]

Following World War II, downtown Savannah experienced a downturn, and the theater fell into a state of deterioration.[5] The theater closed in 1976 and was slated to be demolished,[2] with the property converted to a parking garage,[3] but a group of Savannahians organized to prevent its demolition.[5] In 1986, they purchased the building and began an extensive and costly renovation process.[6] During the filming of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil in 1997, members of the film crew, including film director Clint Eastwood and leading actor Kevin Spacey, participated in fundraising events.[5] The theater reopened in 2000 with a screening of the film Gone with the Wind.[1] The theater is owned by the Savannah College of Art and Design and is the home venue for the Savannah Philharmonic Orchestra, in addition to hosting the annual Savannah Film Festival and the Savannah Music Festival.[1] The building is located in the Savannah Historic District.[5]

References
  1. "Lucas Theatre for the Arts". Savannah College of Art and Design. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  2. Gunther, Justin (2004). Historic Signs of Savannah: Photographs from the Collection of the Georgia Historical Society. Arcadia Publishing. p. 98. ISBN 978-0-7385-1674-5 – via Google Books.
  3. Fraser Jr., Walter J. (2018). Savannah in the New South: From the Civil War to the Twenty-First Century. University of South Carolina Press. ISBN 978-1-61117-837-1 – via Google Books.
  4. Berinato, Chris (2019). Secret Savannah: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure. Reedy Press. ISBN 978-1-68106-229-7 – via Google Books.
  5. Byrd, Georgia (2015). Insiders' Guide to Savannah & Hilton Head (9th ed.). Globe Pequot Press. p. 106. ISBN 978-1-4930-1835-2 – via Google Books.
  6. Triplett, Whip Morrison (2006). Savannah. Postcard History Series. Arcadia Publishing. p. 101. ISBN 978-0-7385-4209-6 – via Google Books.
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