310 S Greene St. Greensboro, NC 27401
Phone: (336) 333-2605
The Carolina Theatre, originally opened on Halloween night in 1927 as “The Showplace of the Carolinas,” was once hailed as the finest vaudeville theater between Washington, D.C. and Atlanta. With its terracotta Greek façade, glittering chandeliers, gilded railings, and opulent décor, it offered Greensboro residents an affordable escape into fantasy, complete with live vaudeville acts, orchestra performances, newsreels, and films—the first in the state to feature Vitaphone sound. The Carolina was also Greensboro’s first commercial building to be air conditioned. Though the Theatre declined alongside downtown in the late 1960s, it was saved from demolition in 1975, later surviving a devastating fire in 1981 and undergoing major restorations through community fundraising efforts, including the 1988 Renaissance Capital Campaign and the more recent “Setting the Stage” initiative completed in 2022. Today, the Carolina welcomes more than 100,000 guests annually, serving as a vibrant performing arts hub and home to groups such as Greensboro Ballet, Community Theatre of Greensboro, and Greensboro Opera, while continuing its mission of Presenting Arts, Preserving History, Promoting Community.
