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Bama Theatre

Tuscaloosa, AL

600 Greensboro Avenue

, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 United States

(map)

205.758.5195

Status:	Open
Screens:	Single Screen
Style:	Art Deco, Atmospheric, Beaux-Arts, Streamline Moderne

Function:	Movies, Performing Arts
Seats:	1094
Chain:	Independent

Architect:	David O. Whilldin
Firm:	Unknown

Vintage postcard view of the Bama Theatre's exterior

Photo courtesy of the public domain

A mixture of Art Moderne, Art Deco, Beaux-Arts and Atmospheric styles, the Bama Theatre opened in 1938 as Tuscaloosa's first air-conditioned public building.

The interior originally seated about 1,000, including the balcony, with the entire orchestra and balcony sections decorated as a reproduction of the Davanzati Palace of Florence. Twinkling stars and clouds on the night sky ceiling completed the open-air feel of the performance hall.

In 1976, the Bama Theatre was converted to a performing arts center and for several years was home to the Tuscaloosa Symphony, Theatre Tuscaloosa, and Tuscaloosa Children's Theatre shows, among others.

When Theatre Tuscaloosa built its own home in 1999, the Bama Theatre returned to showing classic, foreign, and art films with its Silver Screen Series.

Related Websites

The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa -- Bama Theatre (Official)

Contributed by Mark Hughes Cobb

YOUR COMMENTS

Here is a close-up photo of the Bama Theater.

posted by Lost Memory on Dec 12, 2005 at 3:33pm

This is the second Bama theater in Tuscaloosa. The original Bama became the Druid.

posted by ken mc on Feb 14, 2006 at 3:40pm

This is a recent photo of the Bama Theater.

posted by Lost Memory on Sep 19, 2006 at 3:46am

Another photo of the Bama Theater can be seen here.

posted by Lost Memory on Dec 16, 2006 at 7:06am

Added to the National Register of Historical Places in 1984

Bama Theatre-City Hall Building (added 1984 - Building - #84000746)
Also known as Bama Theatre and Office Building
600 Greensboro Ave., Tuscaloosa
Historic Significance: Architecture/Engineering, Event
Architect, builder, or engineer: Whilldin,D.O.
Architectural Style: Moderne
Area of Significance: Architecture, Politics/Government
Period of Significance: 1925-1949
Owner: Local Gov't
Historic Function: Recreation And Culture
Historic Sub-function: Theater
Current Function: Recreation And Culture, Work In Progress
Current Sub-function: Theater

posted by Lost Memory on Jan 4, 2007 at 5:54am

Here is a 2008 photo of the Bama.

posted by Lost Memory on May 13, 2008 at 5:16pm

URL from related web site has changed:

http://www.tuscarts.org/bamatheatre.html

Among other things there is a pretty cool virtual tour.

posted by Life's too short on Dec 16, 2008 at 8:51am

Great-looking theatre!!

posted by MPol on Mar 31, 2009 at 3:46pm

1980 Photo

1986 Photo

posted by Lost Memory on May 24, 2009 at 6:29pm

This is another 1986 photo.

posted by Lost Memory on Jun 27, 2009 at 5:53pm

From the early 1940s, a Bama employees group photo.

posted by Don Lewis on Sep 13, 2009 at 8:46pm

There was a nice video of the marquee of the Bama in the Joan Baez documentary that aired last night on PBS.

posted by michael22b on Oct 15, 2009 at 9:40pm

Very nice virtual tour photos,nice looking theatre.

posted by tlsloews on Mar 15, 2010 at 3:09pm

Great looking theatre staff,not a tatoo anywhere.

posted by MikeRogers on Jul 9, 2010 at 4:47pm

From 1938 a postcard view of the Bama Theatre in Tuscaloosa.

posted by Don Lewis on Jul 13, 2010 at 8:42am

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