Entertainment & Nightlife

Visitors and residents have enthusiastically encouraged and supported artistic endeavors all throughout Wilmington’s history. Their willingness to pay to see live performances lets us enjoy a variety of entertainment options.

Thalian Hall is one most distinctive historic buildings in Wilmington.

MAJESTIC THALIAN HALL

The oldest venue in the cultural scene is that venerable jewel, Thalian Hall. One of the oldest and most beautiful theaters in the nation, Thalian Hall was built between 1855 and 1858 to satisfy both the cultural and governmental needs of the city.

It originally served as a combination opera house and a seat for local government, with a library thrown in for good measure. When the theater opened on October 12, 1858, it seated 950 people.

As a major stop on the national touring circuit, Thalian Hall hosted well-known entertainers including Lillian Russell, Buffalo Bill Cody, John Phillip Sousa, Maurice Barrymore and Sir Henry Lauder. After the turn of the century, the facility was renovated and updated for electricity, but by the thirties, with the decline in traveling road shows, activity at Thalian Hall dwindled.

Thalian Hall had a few close calls with demolition during the thirties and forties, but the citizens always rallied to its support. The theater was restored to its turn-of-the-century splendor in 1973, and activity increased under the direction of the Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts, Inc. During the eighties, with funds from the city and state plus contributions from citizens, $5 million was raised for an 18-month renovation and expansion project.

AN ABUNDANCE OF ANNUAL EVENTS

Thalian Hall hosts more that 650 events per year, including concerts, stage plays, popular musical attractions, a children’s theater and Cinematique, which presents artistic films. Beautiful renovations were completed in 2011. New seating, new lighting equipment and a new HVAC system make an evening in the theater much more comfortable and enjoyable now.

One addition worthy of special note is the fabulous chandelier that was donated to the theater. It's affectionately named Alice, and the audience cheers every time the chandelier is raised before a performance.

A newer addition is the exterior lighting, which was turned on for the first time on February 28, 2013. Designed by the same company that lit the Washington Monument, Statue of Liberty and the White House, the system uses 32 energy efficient fixtures that consume approximately the same amount of energy as two household microwaves. The beautiful historic building is now much more visible at night.

The most recent major renovation was completed in February 2015, when the Ruth and Bucky Stein Theatre was completed. The space, previously known as the Studio Theatre, has now been redone with stadium seating, digital film equipment and state of the art light and sound equipment. The new theatre will be used for film half the time and for live performances the rest of the time.

NC’S COMMUNITY THEATER

When Thalian Hall was constructed, Wilmington was a bustling and growing city with an active theatrical group, the Thalian Association, dating to 1788.

The goal of the founders was to bring arts education and performing arts to the growing city. Continuing to this day, the organization now known as Thalian Association Community Theatre celebrated its 229th anniversary in 2017. The organization’s contributions to Wilmington’s cultural scene are substantial. Its importance was recognized in 2007 when it earned the honor of being named the Official Community Theater of North Carolina. Signs announcing that designation are proudly displayed on major roads leading to Wilmington.

Each year, Thalian Association Community Theatre produces five major productions — musicals, drama and comedies — on the Main Stage of Thalian Hall. Through the years, thousands of local actors, directors, choreographers, conductors, musicians, designers and technicians have developed their craft while enjoying the opportunity to work with Thalian Association.

CHILDREN SHARE THE LIMELIGHT

Young thespians are given the opportunity to perform also; children ages 7 to 10 can participate in workshops throughout the year. The Thalian Association Youth Theatre, founded nearly 40 years ago, stages five productions annually on the Second Street Stage at the Hannah Block Historic USO/Community Arts Center, each showcasing the talents of youngsters ages 7 through high school seniors.

Thalian Association’s activities are not limited to theater productions. They present the Orange Street Arts Fest in May each year. They also manage the Hannah Block Historic USO/Community Arts Center for the city of Wilmington, making space available for classes in a wide array of artistic disciplines. Performing and visual community arts groups can rehearse, perform, display and teach their various art forms at little or no charge thanks to Thalian Association’s management of the community arts center.

UNCW STAGES EVENTS

There are additional theatrical venues away from downtown too. At the University of North Carolina Wilmington, outstanding University Theatre productions are presented in conjunction with the UNCW Theater Department.

In September 2006 the university opened its new $32 million, 104,830 square foot academic and performance facility, the Cultural Arts Building, which includes two theatres, the Main Stage and Beckwith Recital Hall.

Other locations used by various theatre groups include the Scottish Rite Temple on South 17th Street, the Minnie Evans Art Center on the campus of Ashley High School and Murray Middle School on Carolina Beach Road.

Live theater is not the only artistic discipline celebrated in this area. Many other endeavors are recognized and nourished by public and private groups, especially by Wilmington’s own Arts Council.

OPERA HOUSE THEATRE

Lou Criscuolo, a former Broadway performer who never shied away from a theatrical challenge, founded Opera House Theatre Company. He died on December 13, 2014, at age 80, one month before he was due to be honored with a well-deserved lifetime achievement

award for his contribution to local theater.

Criscuolo came to Wilmington in 1983 to appear in the 125th anniversary show at Thalian Hall. He moved to Wilmington and started Opera House the following year. Since that time, Criscuolo mentored many talented local performers. He was much beloved and revered by those who benefitted from his wise counsel and support.

Opera House Theatre Company continues under the able direction of Criscuolo’s daughter, Alice Sherwood. Opera House produces five shows each year. It’s safe to assume that this professional theater company will collect a sizable number of Wilmington Theater Awards for the performers and productions they stage.

SO MANY MUSIC CHOICES

No self-respecting city situated between a river and sandy beaches would be complete without music and nightlife, and Wilmington has more than its share of both to offer. For the most part, music and nightlife in the downtown area are intertwined. Restaurants, bars, lounges, cafés, clubs and theaters offer a wide variety of musical genres including cool and smooth jazz, rompin’ stompin’ blues, rock, Hawaiian, country and western, indie rock, Caribbean and pretty much everything else.

In 2021 Wilmington's newest live music venue opened on the Cape Fear River at the northern riverfront. The Live Oak Pavilion is an uncovered venue that has a capacity of about 7,000.

DOWNTOWN DRAWS CROWDS

Thousands of college students from UNCW and Cape Fear Community College descend on the downtown music scene with regularity and frequency, fueling the tremendous popularity of live music. Tourists, Marines from Cape Lejeune and regular residents create a lively situation. On-street parking places can be harder to find in the evening than in the daytime, but several conveniently located downtown parking decks and lots are available 24 hours a day.

Because of North Carolina’s unique and somewhat outdated liquor laws, the popular music scene is a bit more complex than in many other cities. If a music venue — for example, a restaurant and lounge — derives most of its revenue from food, there are no restrictions on accessibility. However, if a music venue gets most of its revenue from liquor sales or offers no food, it must function as a private club. Not to worry though, you can buy a membership, effective in three days, for a very nominal sum, and you can be admitted immediately as a “guest” of a member. Some of the jumping downtown venues, including those known as dance clubs, usually offer rock or some variation thereof.

Throughout the greater Wilmington area, the nature of the music scene is similar downtown except for the large clubs. Many of the entertainers and groups appearing downtown also appear at other locations around the city or in suburban and beach venues on other nights. 