Detailed Information

The Gayety Theater was built by Hyde & Benham, a theatrical chain owned and operated by Brooklyn-based Richard Hyde and Louis C. Benham, known for burlesque and vaudeville programming. At the time of the theatre’s opening it was stated that the theatre was built “to supply the playgoers with the best dramatic attractions available at medium prices”.

The theatre opened on Halloween night of 1904 with the production “Way Down East”, a popular nineteenth century melodrama written by Lottie Blair Parker, adapted into a play and produced by William A. Brady. You can view the first night souvenir program online here .

The auditorium was notable for its lack of pillars supporting the balcony. Seating capacity was quoted as 2,200, split equally between the main floor (Orchestra level) and balcony, the latter being noted as rather novel by combining balcony and gallery into a single balcony split by a wide cross-aisle, something that would soon become standard practice in theatre design.

It seems that within a year or two of opening programming had generally changed from dramatic attractions to offerings more in line with Hyde & Benham’s general fare. In its early days the theatre hosted stars such as Ethel Barrymore and Gertrude Lawrence as well as innovative burlesque performances.

At the end of the 1929-30 season the theatre closed as usual, but before the 1930-31 season commenced, in early September it was rumored that the theatre might be the new home for Paramount Pictures in Pittsburgh. Then in early October the theatre reopened as the Fulton Theater, a full-time movie theatre (the named was suggested by the theatre’s proximity to the Fulton Building). Following the reported $150,000 refit, the opening attraction was Manslaughter (1930)  starring Claudette Colbert and Frederic March. The theatre had been fitted with Western Electric sound equipment and it was planned that Paramount films would predominate.

As part of the makeover as a movie theatre, the 24 boxes flanking the proscenium arch were “ripped out”. In fact they just had their fronts chopped-off and were covered up with plaster drywall to hide where the boxes had been. Drapes likely helped hide the large swathes of empty side wall. As of 2025, the boxes can still be accessed from behind the wall. The balcony front was taken back 5ft (1.5m) so that those sitting at the rear of the main floor would have an unobstructed view of the new “Grandeur” screen which was 30ft by 18ft (9.1m by 5.5m). Seating capacity was 1,900.

In 1968 the classic horror film Night of the Living Dead (1968) , which had been filmed in and around Pittsburgh, had its world premiere at the theatre.

In 1984 the theatre ceased daily operations, however reopened in the second half of 1985 as a showcase for specialty movies and film festivals.

In October 1988 the theatre was acquired by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust  for $2.1 million using funds provided by the Howard Heinz Endowment. Events continued at the theatre while renovation plans were being mulled. Over the next 10 years renovations took place in stages, with the first stage beginning in 1991 to renovate the stage area and fit new auditorium flooring and seating.

Following a major gift from Carolyn & William Byham, the theatre was renamed as the Byham Theatre in 1995, reopening in late October of that year with a dance production presented by the Pittsburgh Dance Council as part of The Québec Festival, a 13-week celebration of he performing and visual arts of Québec.

Historic Fire Curtain

The theatre’s stunning fire curtain is decorated with a painting by Pittsburgh artist T.J. Collins, dated 26th July 1911. The scene is reminiscent of Venice with fountains and waterways bordered by burgundy swags, however following further research the scene was reported to be Bonn in Germany.

The extant fire curtain was painted in July 1911

The painting on the fire curtain coincides with redecoration of the entire theatre that was announced in the Sunday, 28th May 1911 edition of The Pittsburgh Post: “The Gayety Theater will be redecorated and redraped and otherwise put into splendid shape for the ensuing winter. Manager Kurtzman will begin the redecoration as soon as the season closes, which will be next Saturday night”. The theatre closed with “Follies of New York and Paris” on Saturday 3rd June 1911.

It was intimated in the Sunday, 13th August 1911 edition of The Pittsburgh Press that the theatre, “completely transformed”, would reopen for the 1911-12 season on Monday, 21st August 1911. At its reopening the color scheme was described as “light green, ivory and gold”, the walls being two tones of the light green and trimmings being in ivory and gold. In addition to the new painting on the fire curtain, on the sounding board above the proscenium arch was painted Miss Gayety with a lyre and mask. Paintings over the boxes shows satyrs and jesters dancing to Miss Gayety’s music.