About Us
Friends of the Ohio Theatre
Friends of the Ohio Theatre, Inc., is a non-profit organization formed in 2016 to revitalize the historic Ohio Theatre. Our mission is "to preserve Madison’s cinematic heritage and create a community-supported, state-of-the art, multi-use arts facility.” Since 2016, no staff have been paid to operate the theatre. The beloved building is located on Main Street in the heart of Madison, Indiana, which is the largest contiguous National Historic Landmark district in the United States.
From March of 2016, until June of 2018, the theatre operated as a movie and performance venue, when a power line overloaded and fell on the roof, causing a fire. The building sustained fire, water and mold damage. Due to insurance negotiations, required repairs, and the pandemic, the public was not able to attend large events in the main auditorium for several years.
Our volunteers maintained a positive attitude in the face of adversity and treated the pandemic closure as a strategic opportunity to make critical renovations. We replaced the roof, repaired exterior masonry, installed a new HV/AC unit and made additional improvements. As a result, our building is now structurally sound and water-tight, which had not been the case for decades. The façade project was recently completed in July 2024, including the majestic marquee.
While much fundraising still needs to be conducted before the theatre undergoes a complete, interior rehabilitation, it is currently in stable condition and movies, concerts and other events resumed in the spring of 2022, and are ongoing.
The theatre is a Colonial Revival structure built in 1938 to function as a movie house. The interior is Art Deco style. We re-opened the enclosed balcony in 2021, to accommodate artists who require venues with seating capacity exceeding 600. Prior to this rehabilitation, only 301 people could be seated in the main auditorium.
Support the Ohio Theatre’s Restoration!
All improvements at the Ohio Theatre take place due to the generosity of our supporters. Please join us today!