About The Virginia

Your experience at The Virginia starts from the moment you approach our marquee.

NOT JUST A VENUE, IT’S HOME

Originally established as a cinema, The Virginia now hosts a wide variety of concerts, comedy acts, and theater productions for every audience. Weaving modern entertainment and the rich history of Somerset, Kentucky, The Virginia is the place where both locals and travelers alike can make new memories of intimate performances and one-of-a-kind experiences in a historic, hometown venue.

Music

Classic Movies

Stage Artists

THE HISTORY OF THE VIRGINIA

PART ONE: THE SILVER SCREEN

The Virginia was established as a movie theater in 1922. The theater was originally designed by George L. Elliott, a Somerset native, and constructed by T.E. Jasper, who named it after his daughter, Virginia. From its heyday during the Depression as a silent film theater to its revival in the 1970s as a cinema, this theater brought so much joy to so many in our community. Hear stories of the building’s beginnings in the first of a three-part series celebrating The Virginia’s history.

PART TWO: KEEPING THE DREAM ALIVE

In 1994, an ice storm caused the roof of The Virginia to collapse and the theater had closed. With rising maintenance costs and big-budget movie theaters moving into town in the 1980s, The Virginia was forced to adapt and become a “dollar theater,” showing second-run movies at discounted prices. After the roof collapse, it would never reopen, and the Somerset community would rally around the building for the next two decades. Hear the stories about the efforts to save The Virginia in part two of this three-part series.

PART THREE: A NEW BEGINNING

Everyone loves a good sequel, and this is The Virginia’s. The future is bright for this star of downtown Somerset! In the third part of the series on The Virginia’s history, Somerset Mayor Alan Keck, Tourism Director Leslie Ikerd and council member David Burdine talk about what this venue will be when it opens this summer, the impact it will have and the overwhelming support the project has received.

LET'S STAY IN TOUCH

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