The Dionysus Theatre

Exciting news!!

As many of you know, it has always been my dream to find an old theatre and renovate it back to its original glory. 

I am so excited to say that today that dream (at least the first part) has become a reality! I have received keys for the Dionysus Theatre.

An old postcard of the Dionysus Theatre in 1908.

The realtor sent along this old postcard of the building in its heyday, as well as a photo of its present condition:

The theatre, originally built in 1873 by Cornelius Tibble, has a rich history. It started as an opera house, then transformed into a silent movie venue and even became a nightclub in the 1960s. Since then, it’s been mostly abandoned.

The inspector’s report revealed signs of (several) past fires, but aside from some termite damage in the balcony rafters, the building is structurally sound. I took a leap of faith and bought it sight-unseen, as it was slated for demolition today!

I plan to arrive at the theatre tomorrow. I’ve decided to document the entire renovation, and share the process right here! My goal is to reopen the Dionysus Theatre in 2026, just in time for its 150th birthday.

The DIONYSUS THEATRE PROJECT is free for everyone! Paid subscribers get to come backstage and share in the creative process!

Please sign up to be a paid subscriber now to support my work here at the Dionysus Theatre!