Bama Theatre

Bama Theatre is a historic entertainment venue in downtown Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Although it began as a movie theater, it now operates primarily as a performing arts center presenting concerts, live theater, dance, films, community productions, and other cultural programs. The venue occupies a three-story brick-and-limestone building at the corner of Greensboro Avenue and Gary Fitts Street, formerly Sixth Street. Its location places it within the central civic and commercial area of Tuscaloosa. The present building was developed in 1937–1938 through the federal Public Works Administration during the New Deal. It was designed by Birmingham architect David O. Whilldin as a combined theater and city hall for Tuscaloosa. The building opened on April 12, 1938, and is regarded as one of the last movie palaces constructed in the American South. Its exterior reflects Streamline Moderne design, while the auditorium combines Moderne and Renaissance-inspired decorative elements. A defining feature is the atmospheric ceiling, decorated with clouds and points of light to suggest an open sky above the audience. Bama Theatre replaced an earlier venue of the same name built on Broad Street, now University Boulevard, in 1924. That earlier theater showed silent films and hosted vaudeville during the transition to sound cinema. After the newer building opened, the original venue was renamed the Druid Theater, a reference to Tuscaloosa's nickname, the Druid City. The building served both entertainment and municipal purposes for several decades. City hall functions eventually moved elsewhere after Tuscaloosa acquired and renovated the former United States Post Office in 1968. In 1976, the theater was converted into a performing arts center and subsequently renovated for live theatrical and concert use. This redevelopment involved cooperation between the Arts Council of Tuscaloosa and the Tuscaloosa County Parks and Recreation Authority. The venue experienced a period of increased prominence for touring performers after David Allgood became theater manager in 2003. Its programming has also included the Bama Art House Film Series, which emphasizes independent, international, and documentary films. Screenings have included films such as Boyhood, Moonrise Kingdom, Room, and Honeydripper. The Alabama-filmed Honeydripper received a particularly notable one-night screening attended by director John Sayles and an audience of nearly 900 people. Bama Theatre also functions as a platform for local cultural organizations. Recurring users have included the Tuscaloosa Children's Theatre, Tuscaloosa Community Dancers, local dance schools, and school drama departments. In the 2020s, the venue's programming has combined music, film, dance, and live theatrical performances rather than operating solely as a cinema. The building's historic importance is formally recognized. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 30, 1984, and is also a contributing property in the Downtown Tuscaloosa Historic District, which was listed in 1985. More recent physical improvements include replacement of the central marquee panel with an LED display in March 2017 and a major 2022 renovation that replaced the auditorium seating and carpeting and upgraded the facility.

The Bama Theatre's history is rooted in Tuscaloosa's development as a regional center for entertainment and civic activity. An earlier theater called the Bama Theatre opened on Broad Street, now University Boulevard, in 1924. It presented silent motion pictures and vaudeville acts and continued operating during the industry's transition from silent films to synchronized sound. When the present venue opened nearby, the older building was renamed the Druid Theater, drawing on Tuscaloosa's traditional nickname, the Druid City. The current Bama Theatre was constructed in 1937–1938 as a New Deal-era Public Works Administration project. Tuscaloosa planned the building as a combined movie theater and city hall. Birmingham architect David O. Whilldin designed the structure, which uses a three-story brick-and-limestone composition and a Streamline Moderne exterior. The auditorium's interior is more theatrical and atmospheric, combining Moderne and Renaissance-inspired details with a ceiling painted or arranged to evoke clouds and a night sky. The building opened to the public as a theater on April 12, 1938, and was among the final large movie palaces built in the South. The venue initially served both municipal and entertainment purposes. City hall functions remained in the structure until the city acquired and renovated a former United States Post Office building constructed in 1909. Those civic operations moved out after that project was completed in 1968, allowing the theater building to develop a more specialized cultural role. In 1976, Bama Theatre was converted into a performing arts center. Subsequent work adapted the former movie palace for concerts, theatrical productions, and other live uses while preserving its architectural character. The modern redevelopment was associated with cooperation between the Arts Council of Tuscaloosa and the Tuscaloosa County Parks and Recreation Authority. The venue became particularly active as a touring-artist destination after David Allgood took over as theater manager in 2003. His tenure helped strengthen the theater's profile beyond film exhibition, although touring activity later declined after his retirement around 2019. Film programming continued through the Bama Art House Film Series, which developed a niche around independent, foreign, and documentary cinema. Among the films shown were Boyhood, Moonrise Kingdom, Turn Me On, Dammit, Room, and Honeydripper. The screening of Honeydripper was notable because the film had been shot in Alabama and director John Sayles attended the one-night presentation, which attracted nearly 900 people. Bama Theatre has also served as an important local performance platform. Tuscaloosa Children's Theatre and Tuscaloosa Community Dancers have presented recurring programs there, while local dance schools use the venue for annual recitals. School groups, including the Tuscaloosa Academy Players and drama departments from Tuscaloosa County High School and Brookwood High School, have staged productions in the theater. By the 2020s, the venue's identity had become deliberately mixed: it hosted concerts, movies, dance, live theater, and community events. The theater's historic status was recognized when it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 30, 1984. It also contributes to the Downtown Tuscaloosa Historic District, which received National Register recognition in 1985. Modernization has continued alongside preservation. In March 2017, the central marquee panel was replaced by an LED screen. A major renovation in 2022 replaced every seat and the carpeting and included broader facility upgrades. These changes reflect the venue's continuing effort to support contemporary audiences and performers within a historically significant movie-palace shell.

• 2022

  Auditorium renovation completed

  [1]Bama Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  A major renovation replaces the theater's seats and carpeting and upgrades the facility.

• 2017

  Marquee upgraded with LED display

  [1]Bama Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The central marquee panel is replaced with an LED screen.

• 2003

  Touring-artist programming expands

  [1]Bama Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  David Allgood becomes theater manager, after which the venue develops a stronger reputation for touring artists.

• 1985

  Recognized as part of a historic district

  [1]Bama Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The building becomes a contributing property in the Downtown Tuscaloosa Historic District, listed on the National Register in 1985.

• 1984

  Added to the National Register of Historic Places

  [1]Bama Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Bama Theatre receives National Register recognition on August 30, 1984.

• 1976

  Conversion to a performing arts center

  [1]Bama Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The theater is converted for performing arts use and subsequently renovated for live theater and concerts.

• 1968

  City hall functions leave the building

  [1]Bama Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Tuscaloosa's municipal functions move to the renovated former United States Post Office, ending the building's combined city hall role.

• 1938

  Present Bama Theatre opens

  [1]Bama Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The current building opens as a movie theater on April 12, 1938.

• 1937

  Construction begins on the present building

  [1]Bama Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Construction starts on the current theater as a New Deal Public Works Administration project and combined theater–city hall.

• 1924

  Earlier Bama Theatre opens

  [1]Bama Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  An earlier theater using the Bama name opens on Broad Street, now University Boulevard, presenting silent films and vaudeville.

A historically preserved downtown cultural venue that combines movie-house heritage with accessible live performance, film, and community arts programming.

• Film exhibition

  Bama Art House Film Series

  A film program focused on independent, foreign, and documentary movies. The series broadens Bama Theatre's role beyond mainstream cinema and connects the historic venue with art-house audiences. Reported screenings have included Boyhood, Moonrise Kingdom, Turn Me On, Dammit, Room, and Honeydripper.

• Performing arts · 1976

  Live performance programming

  Concerts, live theater, dance performances, and touring-artist appearances form the venue's principal contemporary offering. The program serves both professional or touring acts and local organizations, allowing the theater to operate as a general-purpose performing arts center.

• Community arts

  Community and school productions

  Bama Theatre hosts recurring productions and recitals by organizations in Tuscaloosa and nearby communities. Users have included Tuscaloosa Children's Theatre, Tuscaloosa Community Dancers, local dance schools, and area school drama programs.

• 2022

  Major audience-facility renovationOther

  Background

  Continued operation as a contemporary performance venue required improvements to audience amenities and interior infrastructure.

  Action taken

  All auditorium seats and carpeting were replaced and the facility was upgraded.

  Aftermath

  The renovated venue remained available for concerts, films, dance, theater, and community events.

  Source

• 2017

  Marquee modernizationOther

  Background

  The venue required a contemporary way to display event information while operating within a historic downtown theater building.

  Action taken

  The central marquee panel was replaced with an LED screen.

  Aftermath

  The theater gained a more flexible digital event-display system.

  Source

• 1976

  Shift from movie theater to performing arts centerStrategy

  Background

  The historic movie palace needed a broader cultural role after its original cinema-focused use and former city hall function had changed.

  Action taken

  The venue was converted and renovated for live theatrical and concert use.

  Aftermath

  Bama Theatre developed into a multi-use performing arts venue while retaining film exhibition as part of its programming.

  Source

• 2022

  Major auditorium renovation replaces seating and carpeting[1]Bama Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  A substantial renovation upgraded the facility and replaced all auditorium seats and carpeting.

• 2017

  Bama Theatre marquee receives an LED display[1]Bama Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The central panel of the theater's historic marquee was replaced with an LED screen, updating the venue's event-promotion capabilities while retaining its downtown theater identity.

1. 1Bama Theatreen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Bama Theatre official websitebamatheatre.org