Few theaters share a building with state government. The Davidson does. It is built into the Vern Riffe Center for Government and the Arts, the state office tower on the northwest corner of High and State streets, directly across from the Ohio Statehouse. State offices fill the floors above, and the stage lights come up after the desks empty out.
From the Capitol to the Davidson
The theater opened in 1989 as the Capitol Theatre. Ohio law later renamed it the Speaker Jo Ann Davidson Theatre, after the former speaker of the Ohio House, and most people shorten that to the Davidson. CAPA, the nonprofit behind the Ohio, Palace and Southern theaters, has managed the Riffe Center stages since 1994.
Inside the theater
The Davidson has fewer than a thousand seats, which makes it small next to the Palace and Ohio theaters nearby. It hosts concerts alongside plays and other stage shows, and its size suits acts that want a seated, attentive crowd without a cavernous hall. The Riffe complex also holds smaller studio theaters for more intimate productions.
Parking and the right door
The Riffe Center garage is entered from the northeast corner of Front and State streets. From there, cross the alley to the State Street entrance of the building. The High Street doors close evenings and weekends, but the State Street entrance stays open, so that is the door to aim for on a show night.
The Statehouse garage is close too, with entrances off Broad, State and Third streets, though it has no underground connection to the Riffe Center. Expect a short walk across High Street.
Around Capitol Square
Several of downtown's big stages sit within a few blocks of Capitol Square. The Palace Theatre is a short walk north on Broad Street, and the Southern Theatre is a few blocks south at High and Main. If you like a seated show downtown, our full calendar lists every room in one place.