Those are pieces of the original stenciling from 1927, when the theater was built. We left them exposed to give patrons a sense of what the theater looked like before it was renovated in 1995. There are plaques near each exposed section of stenciling explaining their origins.
The Capitol Theatre, as it was then known, opened January 30, 1927 as a vaudeville and movie house. The theater was purchased by the non-profit Capitol Center for the Arts in the early 1990s and renovated in 1995 and again in 2003. READ MORE
We assume that the owners of the Capitol Theatre simply spelled capital incorrectly. When the Capitol Center for the Arts purchased the theater it was easier to just continue spelling capital with an "o."
Enter the vestibule at the end of the brick walkway. To your left you will see a staircase that leads to the orchestra and balcony. To your right you will see the Box Office and several doors that lead to the main lobby. In the lobby there are doors to the left and right that lead to a flight of stairs to the orchestra. At the back of the orchestra there are two additional flights of stairs (one to the left, and one to the right) that lead to the balcony. You can reach the orchestra (but not the balcony) via the elevator that is located in the front right corner of the main lobby.
The theater is located directly above the lobby. If you are facing The Governor's Hall (straight ahead), there are doors to your left and right leading to the stairs to the theater. You do not have to enter on the side where your seats are located; ushers at the top of the stairs can lead you to your seats. There is also an elevator located in the right hand corner of the lobby that will take you to the orchestra (but not the balcony). Stairs to the balcony are located at the back of the orchestra.
The main bathrooms are located in the lobby, women's on the left, men's on the right. Both are wheelchair accessible. There are also bathrooms in the balcony hallway, women's on the left, men's on the right.
There is a courtesy phone, from which you can make local calls or long-distance calls with a phone card, located on the extreme left-hand wall of the vestibule.
There are fountains located outside each of the lobby bathrooms. There is also a vending machine stocked with bottled water in the center of the balcony hallway.
Depending on the show, the concession booth, at which you can purchase snacks and drinks, will be located either in the main lobby or at the back of The Governor's Hall, the large function room behind the lobby. Visiting artists sometimes set up their own concession booths. Those will be located either in the lobby or on the right side of The Governor's Hall.
From the lobby to the orchestra there are 26 stairs, but there is an elevator that will take you from the lobby to the orchestra. From the orchestra level to the balcony there are 31 stairs. Once you are at the balcony level there are stairs to each row.
If you are attending a performance or a private event at the Capitol Center, tell your caregiver to call 603.545.7786 and leave a message. If you are attending a performance be sure to include your section, row and seat number in the message.
The Center hosts weddings, business conferences, benefits, holiday parties, reunions, trade shows and other private events. For rental information, call (603) 225-1111, ext. 114.
The Kimball House is a stately 19th-century Victorian mansion that is eligible for the National Register of Historic places. It serves as administrative office space for the Capitol Center and has played host to intimate dinner parties, business retreats and meetings. For rental information, call (603) 225-1111, ext. 114. It is not part of the Kimball Jenkins Estate. Click here For more information.
