Saturday: part 1, The Lyric Fine Arts Theatre

The Lyric, in downtown Birmingham, had an open house Saturday along with The Alabama. It was free. We were there.

The Lyric Fine Arts Theatre (please click the link, the pictures are amazing. plus it gives a much better history than I'm about to tell) opened in 1914 as a vaudeville theatre. It's been vacant for 50 years and restoration is now underway (AND YOU CAN HELP!) Also, according to a handout I was given, it was the first theatre in the south where blacks and whites could see the same show at the same time for the same price.

It was amazing. amazing. It would've been a pretty fun date if our third and fourth wheels didn't tag along, but it was great regardless. It's important to remember, it's not just a fun place to tour while it's dirty and broken down, but it's going to be an amazing theatre and office building again. And the city will benefit.

Saturday was probably the first day I really wished I had a Canon Rebel instead of my silly little point and click Canon Elph. I took over 100 pictures and here are the ones I think you'll enjoy the most:

This is a view of the stage from the middle balcony (mezzanine, I suppose)

the marble floor in the entry way.

the crown molding in the entry way

the crown molding in the next room (closer to the theatre) same features, different paint

Daughter making her way to the stage. All the seats on the main level have been removed.

She didn't want to preform on the stage at the Lyric Fine Arts Theatre. There was a cute tour guide that kept trying to talk to her and she got shy.

Son, the picture of patience. He accepted that he would not be able to get out of his sister's umbrella stroller to get covered in dirt and behaved accordingly.

wall to the left of the stage.

crown molding under the balcony

The water fountain at the back of the theatre. An elderly gentleman pushing a lady in a wheelchair saw me take this picture and told me he was well aquainted with this water fountain - it was where he walked during scary parts of movies!

Daughter making her way to the mezzanine. marble steps. (Someone with a Canon Rebel asked to take her picture right after I snapped this one ... good eye)

part of the balcony railing, separating top and bottom

the only chair remaining on the mezzanine level. The lady who got cut off in the picture was a tour guide. I wanted to stay and listen to her entire speech, unfortunately Daughter didn't let that happen.

In one of the offices, looking like an orphan.

showing me how much dirt she accumulated. YES, we had to go to the car and change her clothes and gives her a baby wipes bath before she went to our next stop. I'm glad to announce the dress has been laundered and looks amazing and clean once again.

The view from one of the office windows. The Alabama Theatre across the street.

downstairs, in the office area

the top balcony. the only place where most of the seats where still installed

the best shot of the front that I could get without crossing the street. lazy, I know.