Thomas W Lamb
With more than 100 performances each year, the Ohio Theatre is one of the state’s busiest performing arts facilities. It's lush interior, outstanding acoustics, and state-of-the-art stage facilities have made it a favorite of leading CAPA-presented performers such as Carole King, Julie Andrews, Yo-Yo Ma, Yanni, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Kenny G, Canadian Brass, Liza Minnelli, John Denver, the Boston Pops, Garrison Keillor, Lyle Lovett, Itzhak Perlman, and Dan Fogelberg.
When Scottish-born architect, Thomas W. Lamb designed the Ohio Theatre, he envisioned “a palace for the average man.” It opened in 1928 as a Loew's movie house, complete with its own orchestra and theatre organ. In addition to movies, live performance shows touring the Loews circuit found a home on the Ohio stage. During the heyday of vaudeville, many top performers played the Ohio, including Milton Berle, Ray Bolger, Cab Calloway, Buddy Ebsen, Martha Raye, Jean Harlow, Ginger Rogers, Kate Smith, and a young emcee with a violin named Jack Benny.
To decorate and furnish the Ohio, Loew's chose Anne Dornan, one of the first women to graduate from the Columbia School of Architecture. Dornan traveled around the world to select art and furnishings, even going on a safari to find appropriate decorations for the "Africa Corner" in the lower lounge of the Ohio. Approximately $1 million was spent on art and furnishings - more than the cost of the building itself!
Made: 1928
39 East State Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Franklin County
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This site is produced and managed by the Greater Columbus Arts Council and supported by the Ohio Arts Council and public art collections across the state. Contributors to the databases to date include collections held by the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo, City of Columbus, Columbus Metropolitan Library, Dublin Arts Council, City of Upper Arlington Cultural Arts Department, City of Kettering, Downtown Mansfield Inc., Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority, John Glenn Columbus International Airport, Licking County Foundation, Ohio Arts Council’s Percent for Art program, Short North Arts District and the City of Sandusky. The database was funded in part by a grant from the Ohio Arts Council. Research and development support is provided by Designing Local, OSA Technology Partners and Columbus artist Stephanie Rond. The Columbus Makes Art campaign is a citywide, collaborative marketing effort designed to highlight the incredible talent of central Ohio artists. The Greater Columbus Arts Council is supported by the City of Columbus and the Ohio Arts Council.
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