Established in 1915, the Paramount Theatre has been home to iconic films and performances, including the likes of Harry Houdini, Katharine Hepburn and Miles Davis. Explore this historic venue's first 100 years.
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Construction

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In February of 1915, the construction of a new theatre, conceived as the Gaiety, at 713 Congress was announced. Owned by Austin native Ernest Nalle and designed by John Eberson, the theatre, part of the Interstate Vaudeville Circuit, was meant to bring top talent to Austin and elevate the city's cultural footprint.

Artist's representation of The Gaiety, drawn prior to construction.

ARCHITECT OF DREAMS
John Eberson was one of the premier theatre architects in the United States during the early 20th century. Famous for his atmospheric theatres, Eberson built approximately 1,200 theatres, of which only 25, including the Paramount, remain.

 

 

 

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COMPLETED IN OCTOBER 1915
Only 8 months after construction was announced, the theatre, now named the Majestic, was completed. The $150,000 structure encompassed over 500,000 cubic feet and seated 1,316. The theatre was a "hemp house" with a system of ropes and sandbags for stage effects and had a hand-painted stage curtain. Both the hemp-house system and the curtain are still in use.

DID YOU KNOW?
Original Majestic owner Ernest Nalle's father, Joseph Nalle, was the mayor of Austin from 1890-1895. While the Majestic was the idea of the younger Nalle, it's his father's name that remains inscribed on the theatre's exterior.

 

 

Vaudeville

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At the time of the Majestic's construction, vaudeville was the top entertainment option in the country. Shows generally included a series of unrelated acts, including comedians, musicians, dancers and magicians, on one bill. The completion of the Majestic gave Austin a venue capable of drawing vaudeville's top talent.

 

 

 

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THE BIG TIME COMES TO AUSTIN
On October 11, 1915, the Majestic Theatre opened its doors as Austin's premier stage for vaudeville, selling 1,000 seats, most at 25¢ a ticket. The lineup for the well-reviewed evening included a multicharacter, one-man scene from Oliver Twist, a performance from the comedic A Novel Marriage and a number of music and dance acts.

TAKING THE STAGE
The opening night audience first listened to a brief speech by theatre manager F. Gale Wallace before he introduced "the cultured mayor of the most cultured city in the Southwest," Austin Mayor A.P. Wooldridge.

A glowing review of the Majestic's opening night.

 

 

 

Notable Performers

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SARAH BERNHARDT

Referred to at the time as "the most famous actress the world has ever known," Bernhardt was an internationally lauded French stage and film actress whose influence is still felt in theatres around the world.

THE MARX BROTHERS

One of the most revered family acts of all time, The Marx Brothers – including Groucho, Harpo, Zeppo and Chico – enjoyed huge success on the vaudeville circuit, Broadway and film, regularly performing a mix of music and comedy.

Anna Pavlova

A famous Russian prima ballerina for the world-renowned Ballet Russes who formed her own ballet company in 1911.

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Sally Rand

Celebrated fan dancer Rand often wore a body stocking to make herself appear nude. When playing the Majestic, a lighting mistake threatened to destroy this illusion, leading to a heated confrontation mid-show between Rand and the lighting technician.

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Harry Houdini

Houdini, the most famous escape artist of all time, played the Majestic in 1916, providing one of the most illustrious bookings for the young theatre.

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John Philip Sousa

Sousa was the composer of 136 marches, 15 operettas and 70 songs. At the time his band played at the Majestic, they were widely regarded as the most famous musical act in the world.

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Early Cinema

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As the Great Depression took hold, the 15-year-old Majestic bet its survival on the movie business, undergoing an extensive remodel and interior refresh in order to capitalize on the massive popularity of "talkies." When the venue reopened, it was renamed the Paramount Theatre.

 

 

The Remodel of 1930

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The Majestic's renovation included the addition of upholstered seats, a state-of-the-art sound system and air conditioning and the removal of the opera boxes. When the theatre reopened as the Paramount, named for owner Paramount-Publix, its art deco remodel had cost almost as much as the original building.

LIGHTING THE BLADE
One prominent feature of the remodeled theatre was the addition of the Paramount Blade, a large sign topped with a brilliant sunburst. The blade was removed for renovation in 1964 and never seen again, but in September 2015, a replica blade was mounted on the theatre's facade, returning its dramatic brilliance to Congress Avenue.

UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT
When the Great Depression led to RKO and Paramount declaring bankruptcy in 1933, Karl Hoblitzelle, a huge figure in southern vaudeville bookings, was drawn out of retirement to save the jobs of his friends working in Texas theatres. Forming 50/50 partnerships with the previous owners, Hoblitzelle was given authority over management decisions and helped save many Texas venues that otherwise would have been lost.

 

 

The New Variety

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Vaudeville's star had faded, and in its wake, film became a national obsession. These early years of sound were shaped by the economic turmoil of the Great Depression, leading to the production of a large number of escapist fantasies. The decade provided many legendary films, including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, King Kong, Dracula, Frankenstein, All Quiet on the Western Front, The Wizard of Oz and Gone With the Wind.

STANDING OVATIONS
Even though the Paramount's focus had changed, live theatre still played an important part in its regular offerings. During the 1930s, audiences enjoyed Helen Hayes in Victoria Regina, Orson Welles in The Barretts of Wimpole Street, As Thousands Cheer and The Green Pastures, among others.

 

 

Notable Films

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During the 1930s, the major film studios owned theatres throughout the country. As a movie palace, the Paramount Theatre mainly showed films released by Paramount Pictures, its parent company.

 

 

MOROCCO – 1930

Marlene Dietrich made her American film debut starring opposite Gary Cooper in this Josef von Sternberg picture. While the movie led to a string of successes for Dietrich, it also provided her only Best Actress nomination. The film is best remembered for the scandalous scene of a tuxedo-clad Dietrich performing a song and kissing a woman.

Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde – 1932

This adaptation of the classic horror tale received glowing praise from the critics and earned $1.25 million at the box office, more than double its high production cost of $535,000. Star Fredric March won the Best Actor Oscar for the film.

M – 1933

Fritz Lang's German thriller was the director's first sound film and the first to use the operatic leitmotif technique to associate Peter Lorre's character with the tune In the Hall of the Mountain King. Released in the U.S. two years after its German release, the film was Lang's personal favorite and continues to receive critical acclaim 85 years later.

Popeye the sailor – 1933

The enormously popular Betty Boop series of animated shorts brought Popeye the Sailor from the comics section to the screen in this 1933 installment. Popeye's success was so overwhelming that he appeared in 231 solo animated theatrical shorts.

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Cleopatra – 1934

One of Paramount's biggest hits of 1934, this Cecil B. DeMille epic stars Claudette Colbert, who would become the highest paid actress in Hollywood in 1936. The historical adaptation featured suggestive costumes and innuendo. The film received a Best Picture nomination and won for Best Cinematography.

 

 

 

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As the Paramount Theatre entered the 1940s, it continued to successfully showcase top-rated films and quality stage productions, but the continued success of movies soon led to a dramatic decrease in live performances. During a period marked by a world war and a dramatic upheaval in how movie studios did business, the Paramount still maintained its reputation as the theatrical gem of downtown Austin.

Philadelphia Comes to Town
The era began in grand fashion when screen legend Katharine Hepburn took the stage in The Philadelphia Story.

 

The War Years

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As the country entered World War II, the Paramount joined in the nation's swell of patriotism. Adopting the slogan "dedicated to community service," the theatre showed recruitment films in addition to their regular offerings. The Paramount also promoted the sale of war bonds, selling $8.4 million worth from 1942 to 1945. The United States Treasury War Finance Committee recognized it with numerous awards, and theatre manager Louis Novy received the War Finance Silver Medal.

Staff Perks
In 1947, during the postwar chocolate shortage, usher Wally Pryor hid chocolate rations for his friends and fellow UT swim team members. He later found himself onstage as part of Harry Blackstone's magic act.

 

 

United States V. Paramount

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In 1948, the Supreme Court heard arguments regarding the legality of the movie studios' vertical integration systems, in which they owned everything from film creation to exhibition. The court ruled against the studios, requiring them to dismantle substantial parts of their businesses. Paramount Pictures voluntarily complied, splitting into two new corporations to separately handle distribution and exhibition and selling a number of theatre assets.

The End Begins
While the ruling was meant to aid independent producers and theatres, problems arose. Movie studios previously charged low rents to studio-owned exhibitors, but when the studios were forced to sell their theatres, rental rates began to climb, and as studios became more selective about production, the number of films released took a dramatic dip, causing a rise in exhibition rates. Coupled with cultural shifts of the 1950s, these issues helped lead to a significant downturn for the industry.

 

 

 

The End of an Era

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The motion picture business continued to dominate downtown areas throughout the country. In 1957 and 1958, the Paramount's façade was redesigned, a marquee was installed over the canopy, the seats were replaced and the concession stand expanded. Yet even as the theatre devoted itself almost completely to film, the audiences left. Families began to move to the suburbs and TV changed viewing habits, leaving the entertainment palaces of the city to fail and disappear, starting a downward slide that would almost bring the Paramount to ruin.

 

 

Notable Films

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Citizen Kane – 1941

Considered by many the greatest film ever made, Orson Welles' Citizen Kane lost money on its initial release thanks in part to smear campaigns and threats to theatre managers made by associates of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, the main model for lead character Charles Foster Kane. The movie was essentially forgotten until it began to receive praise from French critics and had a 1956 revival.

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It's a Wonderful Life – 1946

The Frank Capra Christmas classic started out as a financial disappointment. Although nominated for 5 Oscars, including Best Picture, the movie recorded a loss of over $500,000. It wasn't until the film became a seasonal TV staple in the 1970s that audiences fell in love with its inspirational message. In the years since, it's become a perennial holiday favorite.

Cinderella – 1950

The first full animated feature from Walt Disney Productions since 1942's Bambi, Cinderella had a lot riding on it upon release. With Disney already on the verge of bankruptcy, insiders speculated that the studio would close if the expensive film was a flop. Luckily, the film turned out to be one of the studio's greatest critical and commercial successes, allowing Disney to finance his production slate, establish a distribution company, begin television production and start construction of Disneyland.

Rebel Without a Cause – 1955

James Dean, Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo starred in this iconic teenage drama. Originally considered a B-movie by Warner Bros., filming started in black and white, but when James Dean's star began to rise, the studio switched to color. Released after Dean's death, the film received good reviews and three Academy Award nominations. It was, however, banned in New Zealand over fears that it would incite "teenage delinquency" and had scenes cut for its release in Britain, where it received an X rating.

Vertigo – 1958

This Alfred Hitchcock thriller starring Jimmy Stewart was the first film to use the dolly zoom, a camera technique that distorts perspective to create disorientation. Although now considered one of Hitchcock's defining works, the film received mixed reviews and had a disappointing box office run in its original release. For his part, Hitchcock blamed the film's failure on the age difference between love interests Stewart (50) and Kim Novak (25).

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The Paramount entered the 1960s in rocky condition. Suburbia had arrived, and urban areas that relied on nighttime patronage saw steep declines in business. Suffering the same ills as other movie palaces around the country, the Paramount made some changes.

 

 

 

The Downward Spiral

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If the end of the '50s began the Paramount's descent into neglect, the 1960s came at the theatre like a wrecking ball. Under new ownership, the Paramount was already in transition as the shift to suburbia left downtown Austin devoid of life after work hours. Not helping matters, 90% of American households had a TV and suburban movie houses began to pop up, giving people more convenient entertainment options. The theatre continued to show major films, but as audiences dwindled, it eventually turned to low-budget movies to pay the bills even as the facility itself fell into disrepair.

Sock! Pow! Zok!
Comic book excitement came to Austin in 1966 when Batman, starring Adam West, premiered at the Paramount.

Era of Upheaval
The Paramount faced even more change as the civil rights movement began to make headway. As at most theatres in the South when the decade began, African-American patrons could sit only in the upper balcony of the theatre. This inequality was soon corrected, even in the face of stand-ins by segregationists.

 

 

 

 

Down the Rabbit Hole

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The low-budget art of B-movies has long been derided as uninspired, unsophisticated entertainment. In the 1960s, however, the weakening of the Motion Picture Production Code, the industry's moral guidelines, opened up new opportunities for maverick filmmakers. While films with little artistic merit were still ubiquitous, B-Movies became a place of experimentation, and this wild world turned into a proving ground for future B-movie legends, like John Waters, Russ Meyer and Roger Corman, and A-list talent, including Francis Ford Coppolla, Jack Nicholson and Martin Scorsese.

 

 

Notable Films

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While theatre records are spotty, these films were highly influential in the B-movie genre, which became the Paramount's focus in the late 1960s.

 

 

Blood Feast – 1963

Human dismemberment and cooking are spotlighted in this Herschell Gordon Lewis classic that started the gore subgenre. Publicity for the film included distributing vomit bags to patrons and arranging for an injunction against the film in Florida. Blood Feast was part of a new film movement that sprung up as the industry's moral guidelines declined in which traditional exploitation and nudie elements were mixed into other genres, particularly horror. Made for $24,000, the film remains a landmark for fans of gore.

Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! – 1965

B-movie hero Russ Meyer's film features three go-go dancers on a kidnapping and murder spree. The prolific director's films were famed for featuring well-endowed women in powerful roles, including this film's star Tura Satana. Filmed in black and white for $45,000, the movie is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential B-movies of all time.

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Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song – 1971

This film is considered the beginning of the blaxploitation phenomenon, a subgenre featuring black casts, urban settings and jazz and funk soundtracks. Melvin Van Peebles wrote, directed, edited, co-produced, starred in and composed the music for the film. The budget was so small that Van Peebles performed his own stunts, including appearing in unsimulated sex scenes (and receiving workers' compensation for an STD he acquired). Screened in only two theatres upon release and featuring the tagline "Rated X by an all-white jury," the movie went on to gross $15 million and became required viewing for members of the Black Panther Party.

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Fist of Fury – 1972

Fist of Fury marked Bruce Lee's U.S. breakout, although it was originally released as The Chinese Connection because of the accidental switching of titles with another Bruce Lee movie, The Big Boss. While Lee had appeared in American entertainment before, it was here that the country took notice of his uncanny athleticism and incredible charisma. The success of Lee's work led to a slew of martial arts films that continues today.

Pink Flamingos – 1972

This John Waters' classic introduced audiences to an unexpected world. Produced for $10,000 in the suburbs of Baltimore, the film features mainstays of the director's Dreamland Studios, including Divine, Mink Stole and Edith Massey. The story of "the filthiest person alive" and the couple trying to steal her title became famous for its controversial content and an attitude both anarchistic and humorous.

 

 

 

 

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By the mid-70s, downtown's near-weekly murders had turned the area into a ghost town after 5:30. Making matters worse, the Paramount's owners, ABC Interstate Theatres, had given up on repairs, instead waiting out the days until the theatre closed. Already slated to become a Holiday Inn, the Paramount's fate was all but sealed.

 

 

 

Three Wise Men

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In early 1974, John Bernardoni, Charles Eckerman and Stephen Scott set out to save the Paramount and restore it to its original glory. The only obstacles in their way: no money, no connections and no support. The inexperienced trio, undeterred, rolled up their sleeves for the major work ahead. To keep the business afloat, they began to screen classic films, which cost little to rent but brought in just enough to maintain the theatre.

LIVE FROM AUSTIN
Three successful test shows brought the energy of live music back to the theatre.

LOWERING THE CURTAIN
In April 1975, Bernardoni, noticing a mystery cable, released a fire curtain with a beautiful pastoral scene painted upon it. Used to separate the stage and audience in case of a fire, the Paramount curtain is one of the rarest original fire curtains in the country, often showing up in theatre textbooks. In order to maintain its condition, the curtain is rarely used today.

 

 

 

Call in the Cavalry

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With barely enough cash to keep the Paramount running, the trio began tireless efforts to garner support. Thanks to the help of the local community, including Roberta Crenshaw, Sue McBee, Charlie Root and the City of Austin, the restoration began in earnest, even as big-name acts and touring shows kept the theatre afloat thanks to bookings by Southwest Concerts' Art and Barbara Squires. But it wasn't until Congressman J.J. Pickle and Governor Dolph Briscoe aided the theatre in getting $1.85 million in federal money that completion seemed a real possibility. This federal money accounted for 95% of the restoration costs from 1978-1980.

Making History
In 1977, the Paramount was registered on the list of national and historic places. This important designation paved the way for federal funding and helped cement the theatre's permanent footprint in downtown.

SCARE TACTICS
Desperate to bring the public's attention to the Paramount's dismal state, Bernardoni commissioned an artist to create this picture showing the Paramount as a pile of rubble. He never had the heart to use it.

 

The Rebirth of the Stage

 

 

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The Paramount still had a long way to go to prove that it could sustain profitability. One important part of the theatre's restoration was the return of live theatre to a stage that hadn't been used in years. During these early times, the Paramount brought daring, professional theatre back to downtown, even fighting obscenity laws in order to present Equus. The rest of the decade saw a number of touring shows, including West Side Story, King Lear, The Zoo Story and Antigone.

THE SHOW MUST GO ON
When the Richard Roundtree/Leslie Uggams-starring Guys and Dolls came to town in 1976, the instant sellout show was almost derailed by Actors' Equity, which threatened to blackball the theatre over the horrific conditions of the dressing rooms. Thanks to Bob Miller's Winnebago dealership, the show went on, albeit with an alleyway full of mobile dressing rooms. As a side note, the Paramount was so much smaller than what the touring production was used to that half of their sets, unable to fit on stage, weren't used.

 

 

New Beginnings

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After working 100 hours a week for little money, Bernardoni, Eckerman and Scott finally saw their dream take shape by the end of the decade. With a lot of help and determination, live entertainment had been brought back to downtown in a space worthy of the onstage talent. After years of downtimes, the Paramount was set to soar to new heights.

JUST A JUMP TO THE LEFT
Throughout the late 1970s, the Annual Birthday Party and Costume Ball celebrating the Rocky Horror Picture Show took place at the Paramount. Rocky Horror star Tim Curry attended the first celebration in April 1977, where a crowd of 1,300 watched the mayor, wearing a Jimmy Carter mask, award him a certificate of honorary citizenship.

 

Notable Performers

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Dizzy Gillespie

Perhaps the greatest jazz trumpeter of all time, Gillespie dazzled the Paramount audience with his deliciously complex jazz and trademark charisma. A major force in the development of bebop and modern jazz, he had already influenced and/or trained other greats, including Miles Davis, Arturo Sandoval and Chuck Mangione.

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Billy Joel

Singer-songwriter/composer Joel was early in his career when he played the Paramount on October 16, 1977, having released his first hit, "Piano Man," only four years earlier. His streak continued for decades, with 33 Top 40 hits and 150 million records sold worldwide.

Dolly Parton

Country legend Parton was paid just $3,000 for her first appearance at the Paramount when she played during the theatre's restoration. Her amazing talent and affecting personal story were the perfect fit for a stage that had seen its share of ups and downs.

Willie Nelson

Texas icon Nelson helped renew the theatre's energy with his outlaw country. This first stop at the Paramount wouldn't be his last, and his shows continue to bring in crowds to match Houdini's.

Cheech & Chong

Cheech & Chong's stoner comedy routine came to the Paramount just as the duo was reaching the pinnacle of their success. Their 1978 film, Up in Smoke, was a cult hit, and their albums had spawned dozens of catchphrases, including the famous "Dave's not here."

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The hard work of the previous six years had paid off, and the Paramount once again took its place as the standard-bearer for the Austin arts scene. From big-name talent and film premieres to in-house productions and amazing tours, the theatre saw a variety of acts play its stage, providing solid ground from which to build a new reputation.

 

 

Taking the Reins

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Not long after the theatre's renovation was completed, the Paramount took a leap in a new direction with the in-house production of its own traveling shows, including the first national tour ever produced by a regional theatre. Starting with the November 1982 production of Deathtrap starring Leslie Nielsen, the theatre developed a series of well-received shows they'd cast with esteemed actors, including E. G. Marshall in Mass Appeal and Martin Landau in Dracula.

DANCING FOR DOLLARS
While the Paramount was in better shape than it had been in decades, finances remained an ongoing concern. To help out, afternoon performances, like this 1988 Jazzercise routine, took place in front of the theatre, encouraging passersby to aid the cause.

 

 

A Homegrown Hit

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The Paramount's biggest success on stage came with Greater Tuna, the humorous look at multiple characters (all played by Jaston Williams and Joe Sears) from small-town Texas – including a UFOlogist, a used weapons dealer and DJs from radio station OKKK. The play debuted in Austin and premiered at the Paramount shortly after completing its off-Broadway run. Outselling all non-sporting entertainment in town, Tuna's success led to sequels and a devoted local following.

STARRY FUTURES
As a token of gratitude for the artistry and audiences the Tuna series continues to bring to the theatre, the Paramount dedicated stars on the sidewalk outside the theatre to Williams and Sears.

 

 

Reel Respectability

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The Paramount was handling multiple entertainment formats simultaneously for the first time in years. But while the theatre was no longer simply a movie palace, film still played a vital role in its success. The Paramount's annual summer film series grew in popularity, and the theatre began to attract more top-shelf events, including benefit screenings of EDtv with Paramount supporter Matthew McConaughey and Legal Eagles with Robert Redford.

BEST LITTLE PREMIERE
The Premiere of the film adaptation of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas was a huge event, for which even the Paramount's marquee was updated.

LOOKING BACK
Restored to its original splendor, The Paramount finally had a reason to celebrate its anniversaries, which it did with extravagant events hosted by incredible talent, including Bernadette Peters, Ben Vereen and Gregory Hines.

 

 

Notable Performers

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Stevie Ray Vaughan

One of the most visible figures in blues, Vaughan, playing with the T Birds, brought his signature sound to the Paramount in the mid-80s, soon after his debut album hit. Vaughan's undeniable talent was lost in a 1990 helicopter crash, leading the city of Austin to erect a statue in his honor.

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Gallagher

Leo Gallagher, Jr. is best known for smashing watermelons. One of the most recognizable prop comics of all time, his routines made him a household name in the 1980s. As with all of his appearances, his show at the Paramount included splashguards for front-row audience members.

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Miles Davis

Davis brought a lifetime of experience and experimentation to the Paramount in February 1983 when the influential Jazz musician took the stage. An artist who saw great merit in pushing the boundaries of music, he refused to play his early hits in his later life, considering them products of eras done and gone.

Ray Charles

Austin enjoyed another legend when Ray Charles brought his deep talent and rich voice to the Paramount stage. A pioneer of soul music, Charles found success in spite of his blindness, creating some of the most diverse and mesmerizing recordings in history. His talent was so pure, Frank Sinatra called him "the only true genius in show business."

Sarah Vaughan

Vaughan's 1985 appearance at the Paramount was only five years before her death, and the jazz singer brought all her years of experience to the stage. One of the country's most honored and admired jazz musicians, her career started at amateur night at the Apollo, where she won $10 and the chance to open for Ella Fitzgerald. From there, her beautiful voice and impressive range led to a diverse career that fully utilized her boundless talent.

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The Paramount charged into the new millennium riding decades of positive growth. Always ready for the next challenge, the theatre began new programs, expanded ones already in place and even merged with a longtime neighbor.

 

 

Artistic Reinvention

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In the late ‘90s, the Paramount began merger talks with the State Theatre, its next-door neighbor for 65 years. In 2000, the talks became reality, and the two theatres formed the Austin Theatre Alliance under joint management. The new arrangement created a productive performing arts organization that presents and produces a variety of programs.

ANOTHER STORY OF SURVIVAL
The State opened on Christmas day 1935 as the first theatre in Austin built specifically to show movies and was the Interstate Circuit's fourth theatre in Austin (the State and Paramount are the only two remaining). After a period of vacancy, the theatre was bought by Live Oak Theatre and returned to presenting great entertainment.

 

 

Vaudeville Made Modern

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In the wake of the Austin Theatre Alliance's formation, the Paramount's slate has once again become as diverse as in its vaudeville days. The Summer Classic Film Series continues to grow in popularity, and themed film nights include classic and contemporary movies with specially paired food. Multiple youth and student programs offer a chance for young artists to get involved. And as one of the major venues for the SXSW Film Conference and Festival, the Paramount has been the site of film premieres, screenings and special events. Adding in the humorists, musicians, memoirists, dancers and even a cat circus, the theatre has become home to entertainment of virtually every type.

BRINGING THE FUNNY
In 2012, the Paramount developed a festival dedicated to making Austin laugh.

 

 

POTUS Takes the Stage

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In 2014, President Obama became the first sitting president to appear at the theatre. He began by paying tribute to the theatre, observing that "it is great to play at the Paramount. I think I finally made it. I finally arrived." In a more than 40-minute message focused on the economy, a fired-up Obama stressed the need to protect the country's middle class and discussed the economy, immigration and executive actions. With his trademark wit and eloquence, the president enthralled the crowd with stories both political and personal and even dealt cordially with some hecklers.

 

 

The Long Haul

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Throughout the Paramount's 100-year history, the one constant has been change, whether from vaudeville to cinema or from owner to owner. Since the resurgence of the theatre in the 1970s, these changes have led to the growth of the Paramount's entertainment offerings and public programs. The theatre's busy schedule currently boasts over 100 film screenings and more than 200 events each year, indicating a bright future for one of Austin's most loved landmarks.

 

 

Notable Performers

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Lyle Lovett

The country singer-songwriter, who began playing at the Paramount during his early success, is a mainstay at the theatre. Lovett’s enduring talent and boundless charm have made him a Paramount favorite, and his intimate connection with the theatre was recently made concrete with a star dedicated to him on the sidewalk outside.

Margaret Cho

Controversial standup Cho has brought her comedy to the Paramount numerous times. Her sharp wit gravitates toward the personal, the social and the political, often culminating in scathing humor.

Louis C.K.

Louis C.K.’s popular Paramount appearances have proven him a force to be reckoned with in Austin. The comedian’s authentic voice and pitch-perfect audience interaction—coupled with humor pulled from his personal life—have made him one of the country’s top talents.

David Sedaris

Humorist David Sedaris has been a Paramount favorite for years. Presenting stories based on personal experiences that are both hilarious and touching, his words provide a reflection of life’s often difficult realities. Some common topics for Sedaris include his family, homosexuality, obsessive behaviors and experiences living abroad.

Nick Offerman

Offerman’s offbeat comedy found a lot of fans at the Paramount. The actor, humorist and carpenter’s stoic mannerisms and perfect expressions have made the Parks and Recreation star a household name. Offerman’s diverse output includes an instructional DVD about building canoes.

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