Keith Albee:
A History

Though air conditioning was not common in the 1920s, the theatre boasted a sophisticated seven-unit ventilation system with a battery of fans to ensure proper temperature and air circulation.

The Keith-Albee has double fire doors on both sides of the building, a fireproof projection booth quarters, and an automatic sprinkler system for fire hazard reduction.

During construction, 2 million bricks, 550 tons of steel, 97 cars of cement, and 15 cars of plastering were used. Except for the stage floor, the entire building is constructed of brick, concrete and steel. The lobby is 30 by 55 feet. The main auditorium measures 155 by 120 feet.

On opening night, 19 ushers in dark red uniforms with gold buttons escorted patrons to their seats. The Keith-Albee had its own eight-piece orchestra conducted by Joseph Koreberger and a Wurlitzer organ played by H.B. Brown.

During its history, the Keith-Albee has survived a natural disaster and adapted to changing times.

In January 1937, the Ohio River engulfed downtown Huntington (and beyond). The Keith-Albee, along with the Orpheum, State, Rialto, Roxy and Palace theatres, all closed on January 23, 1937. Theatre employees created a sandbag dam around the building. As the waters turned the 4th Avenue business section into a canal, the seats and other main floor artifacts were moved to the balcony. During the flood, only the Margaret Theatre on 8th Avenue and 20th Street remained open with Dick Powell and Joan Blondell in "Stage Struck." The Keith-Albee and other downtown theatres did not re-open until February 6-7, 1937.

Culture graced the grand ol' house for the first time in 1939, as the Marshall Artists Series, organized in 1936, moved to the Keith-Albee. The Marshall Artists Series -- with its annual mixture of symphonies, concerts, Broadway shows and operas -- continues to call the theatre its home.

Vaudeville faded when the movies began to talk, so the Keith-Albee installed its first sound system. When new outdoor theatres offered a wider variety of concessions, the Keith installed a stand.

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