The Roxy Theatre
A Century-Long Tradition
In 1913, the Lillian opened and became known throughout the region as one of the finest theaters for its state-of- the-art projection technology and massive pipe organ.
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​After burning down and being rebuilt several times, the Lillian was finally rebuilt as the Roxy Theatre, opening on Christmas Day, 1941.
A Fixture of Franklin St.
For three decades, the Roxy existed as a fixture of downtown Clarksville.
In 1980, the Twin Theatre Corporation, the owners of the Roxy Movie Theater, decided to close the movie theater for good.
In 1983, six Clarksville thespians founded the Southern Theatre Corporation, saving the Roxy Theatre and opening the venue as a community dinner theater.
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Over the next decade, the Roxy became Clarksville's home for live performance, reinventing itself many times over. Finally, in 1994, traditional theater seats were installed and the building became the Roxy Regional Theatre.
Those we've Known
Ginger
"When you run a theatre, you become the plumber, the trash person, the dishwasher, the graffiti artist"
In the 1970s, Ginger and a group of fellow Clarksville theater lovers moved to New York City for a change of scenery. They stayed in a one-bedroom apartment together, taking in the NYC theater-scene that would inform their move back to Clarksville. In 1983, Ginger and Tom, with their new friend John, purchased the Roxy Theatre for $25,000 and founded the new Southern Theater Corporation, running the venue as a dinner community theater.Â
"Those people in the audience were there. They experienced it, and they're the only ones who ever will."
Linda
"Up until the moment before a show starts, there's no way. And it would come down to the night before and some kind of miracle would happen. "
Linda first began acting in Roxy productions in the early 1980's, and over the course of 40 years would perform in 38 shows and serve on its board of directors for 10 years. Originally invited to join the company of 'Hello Dolly' by John McDonald, Linda became a key figure in keeping the Roxy afloat.
"By that time I was working at Madison Street Methodist Church and I can remember sitting at my desk dressed as Scrooge's housekeeper. and watching the clock. And when it was just before time to run on, leave the office, come down here, do a show, and then leave."
Art
"You did a lot of jobs when you worked here."
Born and raised in Clarksville, Art grew up with Tom and got his start in theatre performing in shows with his mom at Fort Campbell. Eventually moving into a directing role, Art would take that directing experience to Los Angeles, before returning to Clarksville and joining the group at the Roxy.Â
"People said, we finally have a theater. "
Stacy
"I've sung all my life in church growing up, but being here at the theater, you know, it was a community of people that I dearly loved and they were like my people. It was just being home. "
Stacy premiered with the Roxy in their second performance, initially joining for her tumbling abilities. Throughout her life, Stacy continued to perform with the Roxy on and off, even as she attended her college, then law school, through becoming a practicing attorney. Stacy served Chair of the Roxy's Board of Directors for 10 years.Â
"I always wanted to be involved, whether it was going to be on the stage or in the administration. "
Emily
"There’s truly no people like show people. I’ve met the most eclectic group of weirdos through shows at the Roxy, and in that hodgepodge of humans I’ve found some of the greatest, life-long friends. "
Emily premiered with the Roxy in 2013 in a production of Roger and Hammerstein's 'South Pacific'. After studying theater at Auburn and working as a professional actor in the South East, Emily quickly became a regular performer for Roxy productions. In 2022, Emily transitioned to the Roxy's Artistic Associate, and 2023 was named Artistic Director.
"It’s said often in different ways because it’s true. The arts, and theatre specifically, can save a person, giving them a place not just to belong, but to be themselves. I can only hope I do justice making that opportunity and escape available to those who need it, be it behind the scenes or in the audience. "
Portraits & Photos by Laura E. Partain
Laura has lived and worked in Nashville, TN since 2012, and has been a professional photographer for 18 years. Originally coming to music city with a passion to photograph album covers, Laura has been fortunate to do that and more. Her often portrait-centric and photo-reportage style work has been the subject of many record covers, but has also on numerous occasions found commissioned homes in the pages of The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and other fine editorial publications, as well as supplied critical story-telling images for her more commercial clients such as Ford, Cracker Barrel, Americana Music Association, and others.