VENUES
Carpenter Theatre at Richmond CenterStage
Fully renovated and restored, the historic Carpenter Theatre is open! State-of-the-art lighting and world-class acoustics will attract both audiences and entertainers from around the corner, and around the world, filing the stage with dancing, singing, symphonies, concerts, plays and even Broadway shows. Upon entering the refurbished Carpenter Theatre – complete with nearly 1800 seats – audiences will enjoy newly installed fiber optic stars twinkling overhead in the repainted midnight sky ceiling, one of the many preserved and enhanced elements of John Eberson’s original theater design. The Carpenter Theatre celebrated its 80th birthday last year, and what better way to commemorate this milestone than to welcome audiences back to this fun-filled, enchanting Downtown Richmond landmark.
Directions:
From the South: Take Powhite Parkway (76 North) to Downtown Expressway to the Belvidere Exit. Turn left at the light to Cherry Street. Enter parking deck from Cherry St. Theater is located one block down.
From the East: Take I-64 West to 5th Street Downtown Exit. Take Exit to Main Street. Turn right and go approximately 10 blocks. The Theater is on the right and parking is on the left at the corner of Laurel and Main Street.
From the North: Take 95 South 5th Street Downtown Exit. Take Exit to Main Street. Turn right and go approximately 10 blocks. The Theater is on the right and parking is on the left at the corner of Laurel and Main Street.
From the West: Take I-64 East to the Belvidere Exit. Turn left on Leigh Street. Turn right on Belvidere. Turn right on Main Street. Theater is one block down.
Parking: Richmond CenterStage has several parking areas within 2 blocks of the front door. There are over 600 parking spots in the parking deck at the southeast corner of 7th Street and Marshall Street (behind the National Theater) available to patrons after 5:30pm on weekdays and anytime on weekends. Accessible and priority parking spots are available across from Richmond CenterStage, south of Grace Street between 6th Street and 7th Street. The open lot and the parking deck have over 200 spaces available to visitors.
Landmark Theater
A lavish replica of a Moslem Temple, Richmond’s Landmark Theater (formerly known as the Mosque) seats 3,616 people for Broadway shows, symphonies, operas and ballets. Its ballroom totals 18,000 square feet, and may be rented and subdivided.
The construction started in February, 1926, and took two years to finish. It was formally opened on October 28, 1927 by ACCA Temple of the Mystic Shrine and became the property of the city in 1940. The building has an exotic splendor. Into the dome alone went 75,000 square feet of gold leaf, and another 35,000 square feet of aluminum leaf was used. The Auditorium decorations include Saracenic decorations and five paintings bordering the proscenium arch of the stage. Ornamental tile used in the interior was imported from Spain, Italy and Tunis, along with lush carpets, silken curtains and paintings which suggest the rich tents and equipment of a Saracenic nobleman.
Richmond bought the building May 16, 1940. Besides the auditorium, the city acquired 24,300 square feet of office space, an 18,000 square foot ballroom and a 20 by 70 foot swimming pool which has been used for various types of training programs.
Directions:
FROM NORTH OF RICHMOND:
- Take I-95 South.
- Take Exit 74 / 3rd St.
- Continue on 3rd St & turn left onto Broad St.
- Turn right onto 8th St.
- Drive 1 block and turn right onto Grace St.
- Theatre is 2 blocks ahead on the right.
FROM SOUTH OF RICHMOND:
- Take I-95 North.
- Take Exit 74C / Broad St. Bear left, Broad St. West. Take Broad St. to 8th St. and turn left.
- Drive 1 block and turn right onto Grace St.
- Theatre is 2 blocks ahead on the right.
FROM EAST OF RICHMOND:
- Take I-64 West.
- Take Exit 190 / 5th St, Downtown, Coliseum.
- Turn left onto Broad St.
- Turn right onto 8th St.
- Drive 1 block and turn right at Grace St.
- Theatre is 2 blocks ahead on the right.
FROM WEST OF RICHMOND:
- Take I-64 East to I-95 South.
- Take Exit 74 to 3rd St.
- Continue on 3rd St and turn left onto Broad St.
- Turn right onto 8th. St.
- Drive 1 block & turn right onto Grace St.
- Theatre is 2 blocks ahead on the right.
FROM POWHITE PARKWAY: (Tolls must be paid on this route)
- Take Downtown Expressway North into downtown.
- Take 7th/9th Street Exit.
- Continue along 7th St.
- Turn left on Grace St.
- Theatre is at next corner.
Parking: There is a VCU parking deck located on the left side of Main Street that is across from the theater. Parking is available at this location for a nominal fee.
