Beacon Theatre

The story

The Beacon Theatre's plain brick facade gives almost nothing away — inside, Greek columns, Roman arches, Rococo ornament, and a Wurlitzer organ in the orchestra pit announce something closer to a palace. Samuel "Roxy" Rothafel developed it, Walter W. Ahlschlager designed it, and it opened in 1929 as a movie palace with 2,894 seats across three levels. A mural by Danish artist Valdemar Kjoldgaard hangs in the rotunda lobby beneath the Hotel Beacon. The city has designated its interior a landmark, ensuring that the auditorium's multicolored ceiling and flanking statues remain exactly as overwhelming as intended.