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Virginia: Tidewater and Piedmont » Richmond Metropolitan Area » West of the Boulevard » Byrd Theater

Byrd Theater

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1928, Fred A. Bishop; decoration and artwork, Brounet Studios of New York; sculpture, Ferruccio Legnaioli. 2908 W. Cary St.
  • (Photograph by Mark Mones)
  • (Photograph by Mark Mones)
  • (Photograph by Mark Mones)

One of the focal points of Carytown is this theater, which epitomizes the grand movie palaces built in the 1920s and which captivated and distracted Depression-era audiences. Its two-story brick facade displays a wealth of terra-cotta in the Spanish Colonial and Mediterranean Revival idioms. The interior is still largely intact and continues the Spanish theme with plaster decoration and heavy metal fixtures. The auditorium still has an organ that rises to stage level as it is played and a glittering chandelier lit like a rainbow. Aside from the loss of its original marquee and signage, the Byrd has been lovingly maintained by private owners and has been in continuous use.

Writing Credits

Author: 
Richard Guy Wilson et al.
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Data

What's Nearby

Houses
Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity (Henry Baskervill House)
Cary Court
North Boulevard: 100 Block
Victorian Houses

Citation

Richard Guy Wilson et al., "Byrd Theater", [Richmond, Virginia], SAH Archipedia, eds. Gabrielle Esperdy and Karen Kingsley, Charlottesville: UVaP, 2012—, http://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/VA-01-RI334.

Print Source

Buildings of Virginia: Tidewater and Piedmont, Richard Guy Wilson and contributors. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002, 272-272.

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