The Lyric called a beloved Blacksburg theater

Ten On Your Side continues to feature Blacksburg this week as part of our specials on “Your Town.“ On Tuesday, we visited an historic theater that’s been entertaining the people of Blacksburg for decades.

Outside The Lyric Theater in Blacksburg, the year is 2009. Walk through the front doors, and it’s the Hollywood of yesteryear with pictures of glamorous actors and actresses from the 1930s and 1940s.

The Lyric opened in 1930 on College Avenue. Inside the lobby, you’ll find one of the original projectors.

Inside the auditorium are replicas of lanterns among the original tapestries.

The theater was renevoted more than a decade ago.
“Bringing the theater close to its 1930s feel reminded people what a unique and special venue this is. It’s not cookie-cutter; it’s not the same kind of venue you usually go to to see the movies,“ said Executive Director, Susan Mattingley.

The auditorium itself feels like an opera house with a stage for live shows and a movie screen for modern films.

Every year, about 60,000 people come inside.

“I think it means Blacksburg is a special place. It’s the bridge between the campus and the community, and it’s where everybody is welcome,“ Mattingley said.

The Lyric has been around for exactly 100 years. Between 1909 and 1930, it was located in a couple other places before opening up on College Avenue. The founders wanted a state-of-the-art facility with a good sound system when the movie business transitioned from silent films to those with sound, then-called ‘talkies.‘

As the town continues to grow and develop around The Lyric, Mattingley said, “I don’t think The Lyric is going anywhere. It’s a beloved institution within this community.“

It’s a theater that tells a wide variety of stories on screen but really has a story all its own.