Athens Theatre

Built for vaudeville

Orlando architect Murray S. King designed the Athens in 1921 in the Italian Renaissance style, and DeLand craftsmen did most of the building. It opened on January 6, 1922, with a movie, live theater and several vaudeville acts. Touring stage shows and silent films played here, the films often backed by the house Wurlitzer pipe organ. Through the Depression, children got in for nine cents.

The long rescue

The Athens closed in June 1975, and a demolition date was set for the following year. An emergency ordinance protecting historic buildings bought it time. MainStreet DeLand bought the building in the 1990s, and the restoration took about 15 years and roughly $10 million. Crews stripped off a 1950s facade and brought back the brick front, arched windows and lit marquee. The theater reopened on January 6, 2009, its 87th birthday. The Sands Theater Center runs it.

What plays here

The calendar mixes concerts, plays, musicals, comedy and films, plus a youth theater academy. It feels like a community theater and a concert hall at once, which suits a college town that is home to Stetson University.

Know before you go

The balcony has no elevator and is not reachable by wheelchair or walker. If stairs are a problem, call the box office about accessible seating before you buy.

Downtown DeLand has several free parking lots within a few blocks. The theater sits on North Florida Avenue, a block off Woodland Boulevard, so dinner on the main street is an easy walk before the show.

More around Volusia

DeLand is part of the Daytona and Volusia area. On the beachside, the Peabody Auditorium handles the bigger touring shows. For another 1920s house up the coast, try the Florida Theatre in Jacksonville.