Melba Performing Arts Center

214 Grand Avenue,
Houston, MO 65483

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Related Websites

Melba Performing Arts Center (Official)

Additional Info

Functions: Performing Arts

Styles: Streamline Moderne

Previous Names: Lyric Theatre, New Melba Theatre, Melba Theatre

Nearby Theaters

MainTheater

The Lyric Theatre was opened July 24, 1920. It was renamed Melba Theatre on November 19, 1931. It was rebuilt and reopened February 20, 1938 with Wallace Beery in “The Bad Man of Brimstone”. It was renamed New Melba Theatre (later becoming the Melba Theatre). This small and modestly styled modern style theatre became vacant in the 1980’s. The theatre has a very plain marquee with unusual free-standing neon above. Unfortunately, most of it is broken, and it’s hard to tell what it said. There is a neon ’M' on the facade above the marquee.

Renovation began in early-2017 and it reopened December 17, 2017 as a performing arts center.

Contributed by Seth Gaines

Recent comments (view all 5 comments)

Seth
Seth on August 26, 2004 at 7:51 pm

Looks like my comment didn’t make it in. Thanks to Charles Van Bibber for the ID on this one.

Don Lewis
Don Lewis on November 14, 2010 at 6:30 pm

From 2010 a photo Here and Here of the Main Theater in Houston Missouri.

rivest266
rivest266 on August 5, 2013 at 4:06 pm

Could this be the Melba theatre?

Chris1982
Chris1982 on August 29, 2014 at 9:33 pm

This theatre goes back to prior to 1925 when it was known as the Lyric Theatre. The theatre was wired for sound in 1931. It was renamed the Melba in 1932 when it seated 220. In 1940 a new theatre was built on the site and was opened as the New Melba Theatre seating 375. The theatre was reseated in 1947 to 325 and then being known as just the Melba Theatre, the New was dropped. The Melba was still listed as open in the early-1960’s.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on January 23, 2018 at 1:03 pm

The claim that this house was rebuilt from the Lyric/first Melba Theatre is mistaken. The New Melba was a new theater. A week before the New Melba opened, the original Melba, located a block away, was closed. It was converted into a furniture store.

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