Madison Theater

730 Madison Avenue,
Covington, KY 41011

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Related Websites

Madison Theater, Covington (Official)

Additional Info

Firms: F & Y Building Service

Functions: Concerts, Live Music Venue, Live Performances

Styles: Streamline Moderne

Previous Names: Lyric Theater, L.B. Wilson Theater

Phone Numbers: Box Office: 859.491.2444

Nearby Theaters

Madison Theater

Located in the heart of Covington’s Renaissance District. The Madison Theater offers a variety of live music, comedy, sports and film events. After a three million dollar restoration and renovation the theater re-opened in 2001 on New Year’s Eve. It boasts state of the art sound and lighting and has two fully retractable screens.

Opened as the Lyric Theater on September 8, 1912. On October 12, 1928 it was renamed L.B. Wilson Theater. On April 29, 1942 it was renamed Madison Theater. It suffered a fire in 1944, and was rebuilt in 1946 in a Streamline Moderne style to the plans of F & Y Building Service.

Contributed by Chuck Van Bibber

Recent comments (view all 14 comments)

Bill Eichelberger
Bill Eichelberger on December 23, 2009 at 8:08 pm

This is a picture of the Lyric, which eventually became the Wilson, then the Madison.
http://www.nkyviews.com/kenton/kenton319.htm

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on December 24, 2009 at 2:05 am

Boxoffice contradicts itself. The issue of January 5, 1946, said this: “The inclement weather has delayed work on the rebuilding of the Madison Theatre in Covington, Ky., gutted by fire several months ago.”

Then the March 16, 1946, issue says this: “The Madison Theatre, Covington, Ky., which is being completely rebuilt after total destruction by fire, is now 70 percent completed.”

Gutted, or completely destroyed? You decide.

But while Boxoffice apparently couldn’t be bothered to report on the fire itself (at least I’ve been unable to find such an item,) a renovation of the Madison more than two decades later rated three photos in the November 20, 1967, issue.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on June 8, 2010 at 7:28 pm

Nice photo of a great looking theatre.Covington should proud to have it on main street.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on June 16, 2010 at 5:41 pm

A photo of the auditorium of the Madison Theatre illustrated an ad for Thortel Fireproof Fabrics in Boxoffice of March 29, 1947.

Jnmcda0
Jnmcda0 on February 26, 2012 at 5:54 pm

L.B. Wilson was my great-grandfather’s brother.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on February 26, 2012 at 6:56 pm

The three photos of the Madison in the November 20, 1967, issue of Boxoffice can now be seen at this link.

The 1947 photo of the auditorium is in the Thortel fabrics ad on this page of Boxoffice.

The Lyric was operated for most of the 1920s by Godfrey Kotzin. L. B. Wilson bought the house in 1927. The news was published in the November 22 issue of the Kentucky Post, but I can’t find it online.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on February 26, 2012 at 6:58 pm

Sorry, I put the wrong link for the 1947 photo. It’s here.

rivest266
rivest266 on March 1, 2024 at 11:55 am

The Lyric theatre opened on September 8th, 1912. Shared grand opening ad with the Lyric theatre in Newport posted. It reopened as the L. B Wilson theatre on October 12th, 1928 and renamed Madison on April 29th, 1942.

Madison Theatre reopeningMadison Theatre reopening 28 Apr 1942, Tue The Kentucky Post (Covington, Kentucky) Newspapers.com

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