Ohio Theatre

Located in downtown Lima, the Ohio Theatre was constructed as a movie palace and vaudeville theatre in 1927. It features architectural styles such as a Churrigueresque designed exterior and Italian Renaissance inspired interior elements. Since then, the theatre has served many different purposes beyond film and vaudeville and hosted many different types of acts. In 1982, the National Register included it on its list of Historic Places. Today, the Ohio Theatre is used as venue for special occasions and performance art and is undergoing restoration.

The Schine Corporation constructed the Ohio Theatre in 1927 as a movie palace and vaudeville theatre just as Lima was becoming a significant location for transportation and commerce for northwest Ohio. Cars and buses enabled residents of nearby communities to engage with the arts and film more easily in the bigger city of Lima. Though the owners intended the Ohio Theatre to be a movie palace, a stage had also been built to accommodate other types of performances. Numerous famous acts performed on the stage, including entertainers such as Bob Hope.

The National Register of Historic Places listed the Ohio Theatre in 1982. The collection of buildings in downtown Lima entitled the "Lima Multiple Resource Area" included the theatre. Many of Lima's most architecturally significant buildings had been destroyed at that point, so it was essential to preserve what remained. Other structures covered by the multiple resource list include the Allen County Courthouse, the Argonne Hotel, Memorial Hall, and Kewpee Hamburgers.

The theatre itself consists of brick and concrete, and it combines multiple architectural styles, both on the outside and inside. The exterior displays Churrigueresque architecture, which comes from the Spanish Baroque period, and the detailing on the inside is reminiscent of Italian Renaissance architecture. Inside, the theatre includes over 20,000 square feet of space, and it originally seated about 1,800 people. When the theatre converted to a disco/nightclub in 1978, all the seating in the orchestra area was removed. At some point after, the seating in the loges and balcony was also removed. Along the walls in the theatre are murals painted when the theatre was built. Additionally, the basement of the theatre holds the original vaudeville dressing rooms. The rest of the space in the theatre includes restrooms, retail spaces, and offices.

Over time, the theatre has changed hands and purposes. As mentioned before, the theatre was converted into a disco and nightclub in 1978, and its name has changed several times since then. In 2013, a company purchased the Ohio Theatre and resold it in 2020 to a theatre company, the Avante Garage Theatre. The new owners plan to convert the theatre into a dinner theatre location, while maintaining its wedding and events venue purpose. Renovations began in 2020 with the new owners, including the restoration of the original murals and replacement of the roof.

Though movie palaces and vaudeville are staples of the past today, the Ohio Theatre brought life and vitality to the Lima community for many years through its culture and art, and it may continue to do so in the future.

History of the Ohio Theatre, Ohio Theatre Lima. Accessed March 1st 2022. https://www.ohiotheatrelima.com/history.

Honigford, Katie. Ohio Theatre original murals unveiled, set for restoration, Hometown Stations. October 13th 2021. Accessed March 15th 2022. https://www.hometownstations.com/news/ohio-theatre-original-murals-unveiled-set-for-restoration/article_fecf5edc-2c6d-11ec-b45d-b71f9279f165.html.

Hopkins, Phyllis G.. National Register of Historic Place Inventory- Nomination Form, National Park Service. May 15th 1980. Accessed March 23rd 2022. https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/64000633_text

Hopkins, Phyllis G.. Ohio Historic Inventory , National Archives Catalog. December 8th 1980. Accessed March 23rd 2022. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71984437.

Klemann, Mackenzi. Ohio Theatre revival coming to Lima, LimaOhio.com. November 6th 2020. Accessed March 7th 2022. https://www.limaohio.com/news/435175/ohio-theatre-revival-coming-to-lima.

Rabinowitz, Chloe . The Ohio Theatre Lima Gets Its Second Act, broadwayworld.com. November 6th 2020. Accessed March 7th 2022. https://www.broadwayworld.com/dayton/article/The-Ohio-Theatre-Lima-Gets-Its-Second-Act-20201106.