Attucks Theatre

1010 Church Street , Norfolk, Virginia 23510
757.664.6464

Located on Norfolk’s historic Church Street, one of the city's oldest thoroughfares, the Attucks Theatre was initially known as the “Apollo of the South.” Designed by African-American architect Harvey Johnson, it opened in 1919 and showcased legendary performers such as Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, Mamie Smith, Nat King Cole, and Redd Foxx.

The Attucks Theatre is named in honor of African-American Crispus Attucks, the first American patriot to lose his life in the 1770 Boston Massacre. For 34 years, the theatre remained a vibrant performing arts facility but ceased functioning in 1953. After a three-year restoration, the theatre was reopened in 2004 by a partnership between the City of Norfolk’s Department of Cultural Facilities and the Crispus Attucks Cultural Center, Inc.

In 1977, the United States Congress deemed the Attucks Theatre a National Historic Landmark.