Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center

The night time picture has been posted. Check out the Photos section.

I’ll post a pic momentarily.

The restored Keith Albee sign went back up yesterday. go to http://www.herald-dispatch.com/multimedia/galleries/x739985779/Keith-Albee-sign-returns-downtown to see the pics.

The theater closed in 2006. It was used during the filming of Warner Bros. “We Are Marshall” and hosted the premiere. The theater has been partially restored and operates as a performing arts center. Movies are shown only for the Marshall Artists Series International Festival and for the Appalachian Film Festival. The smaller auditoriums have been removed. The main is back the way it was supposed to be. But, the splitting of the auditorium kept the grand ole lady operating. The Hyman family deserves thousands of kudos for maintaining this jewel.

The website is indeed down. There is a facebook page for the theater organ. The name is Keith Albee Theater Organ. The partitions have been removed and the theater is once again similar to what it was in the early 1970s. The theater is undergoing some upgrading. In 2006 the theater was gifted from the Marshall University Foundation to the Keith Albee Performing Arts Center, Inc. A not-for-profit private 501c3 corporation. The picture included at the top of this page was taken in July 2011 or after. The vertical sign was damaged in a windstorm in June, 2011 and was removed in early July. There are plans to restore the sign. The grand vestibule and foyer have received a facelift with the 1970s concession stand being removed. There are a number of other enhancements which need to be done before the theater will be restored to its former glory. The theater has not been completely restored, but with the removal of the 2 mini-theaters under the right and left portions of the balcony significant steps have been taken to return the auditorium to its former size.

The Huntington Theater Organ Project, Inc., has been able to secure the original Keith Albee Theater Wurlitzer (opus 1780) and has plans to reinstall it in the Keith. The current Style E will remain there, sans console as the original organ will be installed with that in mind. The Solo Chamber will be completed with mostly original Keith equipment and as much as the main division will be reinstalled as space and funds become available. It will be great to hear the magnificient sounds of the original instrument within the walls of the auditorium.

One of the projects of the Huntington Theater Organ Project, Inc., is to restore the original Keith Albee Theater Organ in the Theater. Maybe this will happen. We hope so!

You have to scroll about ¾ths of the way down to get to the picture. You can enlarge it by clicking on it.

ore3 2009 photos from Alan C. of the Keith Albee Theatre.
Box Office
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Front View
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Verticle
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Here is another photo:
http://tinyurl.com/y8nczz7

Here are two 1985 photos:

Photo1

Photo2

I worked for a local architect several years ago, and have been interested in the architecture of many buildings in the Huntington area. I would like to get a copy of The Keith Albee Theater blueprints. I don’t know if the Court House keeps that kind of information or not, or if they do, would they let me get a copy.
If anyone in the area knows how to get these prints. I would appreciate the information.

Ed: The Greater Huntington Theater Co. was very careful in the renovation to a multiplex and attempted to leave as much of the original decoration as possible should the theater be restored. Much care was taken not to damage any of the decorative plaster in the auditorium and the lobbies. We are very fortunate that the Hymans took such care.