It’s Showtime Again at Charlotte’s Carolina Theatre
This historic theater reopens after nearly 50 years with a full calendar of performances.
by Arielle Patterson Apr 22, 2025
Carolina Theatre
This blog is brought to you in partnership with Carolina Theatre.
After an extensive restoration, the historic Carolina Theatre in Uptown reopened in March 2025, debuting not only a refreshed look but also a full calendar of performances that appeal to every type of theater-goer.
The Carolina Theatre first opened on Tryon Street in 1927, operating as a vaudeville theater that also showed silent movies. The flourishing theater, which also saw performers like Elvis Presley and Bob Hope take center stage, eventually closed its doors in 1978. The property sat vacant until the city of Charlotte gifted it to Foundation for the Carolinas in 2012.
Following a $90 million philanthropic campaign, the theater was restored to its beloved glory. The restoration team was tasked to meticulously recreate as much as the original theater’s historic charm, while utilizing modern technology to update the projectors, sound systems and more.
The Carolina Theatre reopened its doors to the public on March 24, 2025, and welcomed the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra back to its stage during its first weekend. The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra first debuted on the Carolina Theatre stage in March 1932—93 years ago.
Since its reopening, the Carolina Theatre has already welcomed Grammy Award-winning musicians Mark and Maggie O’Connor, New York Times bestselling authors Ann Patchett and Kevin Wilson, and speakers and poets during Charlotte SHOUT!.
“We’re deeply rooted in Charlotte’s history like few other places, and now we’re investing in our community’s future,” said Sean Seifert, the Carolina Theatre’s executive director.
The events calendar is quickly filling up with live entertainment from singers, bands, musical theater performances, movie screenings and more, harkening back to its original lineup. However, the venue will also be used to host town halls, community events, speaker series, civic engagement and much more.
“This is Charlotte’s theatre. Plain and simple,” Seifert said. “We’re the community’s living room.”
Learn more about the restoration of the Carolina Theatre and get tickets for an upcoming event at thecarolina.com.
