Davis Theatre for the Performing Arts

The Davis Theatre for the Performing Arts stands on Montgomery Street in downtown Montgomery, a few blocks from Court Square and the riverfront entertainment district. Owned and operated by Troy University as part of its Montgomery campus, the 1,200 seat theatre is one of the city’s principal stages for orchestral music, dance and theatre, and it serves as a performance home for a range of civic, cultural and educational groups. Its downtown location keeps it close to restaurants, hotels and historic sites, so many patrons make an evening of dinner and a show.

The building opened on January 25, 1930, as the Paramount Theatre, a movie palace built in the early years of sound film. It was one of relatively few Southern theatres designed to handle both motion pictures and live vaudeville acts, and in its early decades it welcomed traveling performers and Hollywood personalities. As downtown moviegoing declined, the Paramount eventually closed in 1976, with Gone with the Wind as its final feature. Early guests included actress Lauren Bacall and cowboy star Tom Mix, and the Empire Theatre once operated directly across the street, making this block a center of downtown entertainment.

Troy University acquired the shuttered building and reopened it in 1983 as the Davis Theatre for the Performing Arts. The new name honors Tine W. Davis and his wife Eunice, whose support made the restoration possible. The work was extensive: craftsmen reproduced the decorative plasterwork, chandeliers were restored by hand, and the theatre received new mechanical systems, carpeting, and modern sound and lighting equipment, along with restoration of the street facade. The project returned the interior to much of its original appearance while preparing the building for live performance rather than film.

Today the auditorium seats 584 on the main floor and 616 in the balcony, preserving the scale and atmosphere of a classic downtown picture palace while meeting the technical needs of contemporary productions. The ornamented ceiling, moldings and draped stage give performances a historic backdrop that sets the venue apart from newer halls in the city. The balcony, which holds slightly more than half of the seats, reflects the original movie palace layout.

Programming covers a wide spectrum, including professional and community musicals, dramatic productions, chamber music, symphony concerts, ballet and other dance companies, and instrumental recitals. The Montgomery Symphony Orchestra has performed regularly at the Davis since 1989, and the theatre has long been a holiday season home for The Nutcracker. University ensembles, schools and local arts organizations also use the stage, and the venue is available to outside groups for performances and events. The mix of university, community and professional presenters means the schedule varies widely from one week to the next.

The Davis Theatre opens for scheduled performances rather than daily visits. Tickets are typically sold through the presenting organization for each show, and the theatre’s box office can help with information. The box office is open Monday through Thursday from 8am to 5pm and Friday from 8am to noon, and it can be reached by phone or by email at the address listed on the theatre’s website. Patrons should check the event listings for show times and ticket details before attending. Seating locations and sightlines differ between the main floor and the balcony, so reviewing the seating chart when buying tickets is worthwhile.