The Lyric: A Visual History

Built in 1914 for the Vaudeville circuit, the Lyric is one of few theatres still existing today that was specifically designed to maximize the acoustics and close seating needed for vaudeville shows. Major stars such as the Marx Brothers, Mae West, Sophie Tucker, Will Rogers and Milton Berle played the Lyric. Berle said it was “as fine a theatre as any in New York.” The Lyric was once the finest performing arts theatre in the city and through its $11.8 million restoration, it is again. Listed on the National Register as part of the Birmingham Downtown Retail & Theatre Historic District, this century-old venue is a beacon of history, entertainment, and culture in the heart of Birmingham. Join us as Glenny Brock takes on a visual tour through the Lyrics’s illustrious history, through the renovation right here at the Homewood Library.