Carpenter Theatre

The Richmond CenterStage performing arts complex includes the Altria Theater, and the 1800 seat Carpenter Theater, originally a Lowes movie “palace” The “Lowes” was designed by John Eberson, who was  famous for having invented the “atmospheric theatre “ design in which the theater walls resembled an elegant villa or streetscape under a night sky. The Carpenter Theatre design evokes a Spanish setting with a faux sky ceiling containing stars and moving clouds.

Richmond CenterStage currently has nine Resident Companies who use CenterStage for performances and educational programming. African American Repertory Theatre, Elegba Folklore Society, Richmond Ballet, Richmond Jazz Society, Henley Street Theatre / Richmond Shakespeare, Richmond Symphony, SPARC (School of the Performing Arts in the Richmond Community), Virginia Repertory Theatre and Virginia Opera. The facility has the capacity to hold smaller groups for local and regional performances as well as very large audiences for national touring acts.