Fundraising Campaigns Launched To Save Iconic Birmingham Theaters

BIRMINGHAM, AL — Two of Birmingham's historic and iconic theaters — the Alabama and the Lyric — could face the same fate as many of the country's businesses that have had to shut their doors permanently due to revenue loss from the pandemic.

A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to raise money to help keep both of these theaters open.

The owner of both venues, Birmingham Landmarks, started the fundraiser and said the loss of revenue from having to cancel events at both theaters has been devastating.

"The Lyric Theatre and Alabama Theatre have survived more than a century in downtown Birmingham, Alabama, but the COVID-19 pandemic has jeopardized the future of our historic venues," the fundraising page reads. "Since March 18, public health concerns have required us to cancel or postpone more than 90 movies, school field trips, concerts, dance competitions, comedy shows, worship services, proms, graduations and weddings. The Alabama and Lyric Theatres earn 90 percent of their operating budget by hosting events. Owned and operated by nonprofit organization Birmingham Landmarks, Inc., the theatres are not publicly funded. By the end of this year we will have lost more than $2 million in revenue."

The Alabama Theatre was built in 1927 by Paramount Studios and was the premier place to see a movie in Birmingham for more than half a century, and also hosted the Miss Alabama pageant for decades. A restoration in 1998 brought the theater back to life and now the venue hosts more than 200 events per year.

The Lyric reopened in 2016 after an $11.8 million restoration. The theater had been closed since 1960 but was at one time a hot spot for music, worship, drama and cinema since it opened in 1914.

"There is no option to just 'board up' the theatres and wait for the pandemic to end," Birmingham Landmarks says in the GoFundMe statement. "Both theatres are delicate historic structures that require constant care and maintenance.

"We need your help to make sure the Alabama and Lyric Theatres survive another century in downtown Birmingham."

Patch is a GoFundMe promotional partner.