Venues and Directions
The Southern Theatre
The Columbus Jazz Orchestra is proud to be the major tenant of the Southern Theatre. The oldest surviving theatre in central Ohio and one of the oldest in the state, the Southern Theatre opened in 1896 as part of a performance space and hotel complex on the corner of High and Main Streets. The Southern was designed for theatrical touring productions and later accommodated silent films, vaudeville, first-and second-run motion pictures, dance, country music reviews, and community events.
In 1998, following an intensive, fourteen-month CAPA-led restoration, the 933-seat jewelbox Southern Theatre reopened as a beautiful, accessible, and lively link to our community’s past and its bright future.
Click to read moreThe Lincoln Theatre
First opened in 1928, the Lincoln Theatre is a landmark in African-American and jazz history. Having recently completed a $13.5 million renovation funded by a partnership of public and private support, the Lincoln has reopened as a multi-use, state-of-the-art performing arts and education center serving the diversity of the Columbus and central Ohio community and ten resident Columbus arts organizations. The restoration is the foundation of revitalization plans for the King-Lincoln District, providing a bustling hub of activity 365 days a year with performances, rehearsals, and classes in the performing arts, as well as a wide variety of community events such as film festivals, meetings, and receptions.
The Jazz Arts Group’s innovative Jazz Academy occupies the entire third floor of the building. This 5,000 square foot, American music education facility includes rehearsal rooms, a keyboard/media studio, recording lab, and multi-functional instructional classrooms.
The Capitol Theatre – Riffe Center
Managed by CAPA, this state-of-the-art, 903-seat facility opened in 1989 as part of the Vern Riffe Center for Government and the Arts. The Capitol Theatre offers intimate performance experiences including CAPA’s presentations of comedy, music, dance, theater, family entertainment, and cultural programming.