Please enjoy these timelines documenting the auditorium’s history, which include milestone events, as well as performances on the famous stage. As research proceeds, these lists will continue to be updated. Everyone is invited to share information about events held, such as images of posters, ticket stubs or other documentation in order to verify events and/or to add to the timeline by emailing (Kelly@lmaky.com).
Historic Timeline
1929: The Greek Revival-style building commemorates the men and women who served in World War I. Organist Charles Courboin plays the inaugural concert on what remains today the world’s largest Pilcher organ, with six chambers and 5,288 pipes.
1931: Sergei Rachmaninoff performs.
1933: Ignace Paderewski performs.
1934: George Gershwin performs.
1934: Katharine Cornell and Basil Rathbone in The Barretts of Wimpole Street.
1934: Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
1934: Corinne Griffith in Design for Living.
1934: Cesar Romero and Bert Lytell in 10 Minute Alibi.
1934: Margaret Anglin in Her Master’s Voice.
1935: Ethel Barrymore performs.
1935: George M. Cohan performs.
1935: Helen Hayes performs.
1935: Philip Merivale and Pauline Frederick in Mary of Scotland.
1935: Ethel Waters and Dorothy Stone in As Thousands Cheer.
1937: Pilcher repairs the organ after the Great Flood damages it.
1937: Kirsten Flagstad, Soprano.
1937: Ruth Gordon, Dennis King, Paul Lukas and Sam Jaffe in A Doll’s House with Boyd Martin R.
1937: European Ballet.
1937: Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
1937: Eugenia Leontovich in Tovarich.
1937: Gordon String Quartet Maurice Evans in King Richard II.
1937: John Charles Thomas, Baritone.
1939: Marian Anderson performs.
1948: Artur Rubinstein performs.
1954: A $170,000 renovation to improve acoustics involves lowering the ceiling, closing off the side balconies, and reducing the seating capacity from 2,349 to 1,742.
1954-1974: WHAS Crusade for Children is held here.
1959: Frankie Avalon, Dion and the Belmonts perform.
1961: At the Crusade for Children, a not-yet-famous Diane Sawyer places second when the Crusade queen crown goes to someone else.
1964: Tickets to the Rolling Stones show cost $4. (Collectors today are offering $5,000 for the show’s poster.) Other ’60s and ’70s shows at the auditorium: Chicago, Bruce Springsteen, Kiss, Arlo Guthrie, Tom Petty, Rush and Billy Joel.
Mid-’70s: The new Louisville Ballet starts performing here. The ballet doesn’t want to pay for union stagehands, and the workers go on strike. WHAS starts hosting Crusade for Children at its own studio.
1978: Mikhail Baryshnikov performs with the Louisville Ballet. The building joins the National Register of Historic Places and becomes a Louisville Landmark.
1980: Peking Opera.
1983: The ballet leaves for the new Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts.
1980s: Iron Maiden, R.E.M., Patti Smith, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers and the Pretenders perform. Plays are also popular.
1994: The building gets an elevator. Metro government starts sharing the building for its training and meetings. Organist Tim Baker, who has worked on the Pilcher organ since the early ’70s, starts the William H. Bauer Foundation to oversee the organ’s upkeep. The auditorium raises funds by showing silent films from the ’20s, such as The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Phantom of the Opera, with the organ accompanying.
1996: Poet Ron Whitehead hosts the Official Hunter S. Thompson Tribute. Johnny Depp, Roxanne Pulitzer and David Amram attend. Writer Paul McDonald says, “It was a wild evening” and that Thompson was “blasting anyone within close range with a fire extinguisher.”
1997: Ani DiFranco performs.
2011: The organ goes out of order while Baker and pro-bono craftsmen, as Baker says, “apply technology to a 1929 instrument.”
2015: The auditorium schedules more than 100 events. “I’ve been told we host more national dance competitions than any theater in the U.S.,” says executive director Dale Royer, who has worked here since 1977.
2017: After 40 years of service Executive Director, Dale Royer retires and Kelly J. Gream assumes leadership as the new director.
Plans begin to refurbish, repair and begin updates to improve the experiences for guests, patrons and clients.
New website, ticketing service and marketing plans are introduced to promote the business as a multi-purpose facility.
2018: Special events as pipe organ fundraisers, holiday parties, corporate functions, weddings, private events and group tour experiences begin to be scheduled.
Facility becomes a union-free professionally stage managed performance venue.
2019: 90th Anniversary is celebrated with a community presentation and free concert by “The Thoroughbreds” performing on Memorial Day.
Bluegrass Honor Flight Hosts 75th D-Day Celebration and Concert
Stage One Family Theater performs two productions at the auditorium after fire damage to the roof closes the Kentucky Center temporarily.
2020: Due to the Covid-19 public pandemic, the Commonwealth of Kentucky required major venues to close resulting in the cancellation of the 91st Spring and Winter Seasons. Limited operational guidelines allowed private events to be held with smaller guest counts.
91st Anniversary is celebrated virtually by requesting participation by the community via auditorium website and social media formats.
Louisville METRO Government discontinues office lease and moves out of the building.
Louisville Memorial Auditorium Foundation, Inc. is created as the fundraising non-profit organization to ensure the landmark is around another 90 years. The focus will be raising funds to add modern heat and air systems to the facility, including updating the seating, lighting & sound systems, plaster repairs to the historic auditorium while supporting the ongoing preservation of the world’s largest Pilcher Pipe Organ.
Wyncote Foundation awards a $75,000 matching grant to the auditorium’s foundation to further restoration of the world’s largest Pilcher Pipe Organ. The William H. Bauer Foundation donates an additional $33,000 to support the project which will repair and restore the massive pipe organ that produce the impressive sounds of the unique instrument.
William H. Bauer Foundation premieres “Magic of Christmas Past: Pipe Organ Concert and Silent Movie” via social media as a holiday gift to the community.
2021: Business resumes hosting events following approved COVID-19 public health operational guidelines from the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
2021: “Walls of Fame” were added to the client Green Room honoring the rich history of artists who have performed at the landmark venue. Framed posters, memorabilia and pictures of famous artists such as George Gershwin, Frankie Avalon, Rolling Stones and Elvis Costello are on display, including both local and regional performers in the collection
2021: The auditorium receives a $10,000 donation to professionally clean the beautiful stonework in the main lobby. The process will bring life back to the majestic space that welcomes guests to the historic landmark while also hosting a variety of events.
Artistic Performances
1931: Sergei Rachmaninoff
1931: Lawrence Tibbett & Stewart Willie
1933: Ignace Paderewski
1934: George Gershwin
1935: Ethel Barrymore, George M. Cohan and Helen Hays
1937 – 1946: Louisville Civic Orchestra
1939: Gladys Swarthout
1939: Marian Anderson
1939: Maxine Sullivan and Her Broadway Show
1939: Harlan Leonard and His Orchestra
1939: Sue Hastings’ Marionettes
1943: William G. Meyer Presents Jose’ Iturbi
1943: Boris Karloff in Arsenic and Old Lace
1943: The General Platoff: Don Cossack Chorus
1943: Charles L. Wagner Presents FAUST: An Opera in Four Acts
1944: Philadelphia Opera Company Presents “The Bat”
1944: 4th War Loan Revue and Radio Broadcast WHAS
1944: St. X Music Department’s Band Concert & Minstrel Show
1945: Louisville Girls High School Commencement
1948: Arthur Rubenstein
1948: Gladys Swarthoust
1948: Jean Parker
1948: Lon Chaney
1948 – 1958: Louisville Philharmonic Society
1948-2019: The Thoroughbreds
1953: South Pacific
1954: The King and I
- Patricia Morison
- Leonard Graves
- Terry Saunders
1954 – 1974: WHAS Crusade for Children 1954- 1974 (order of appearance)
- Pat O’Brien and Pedro Gonzalez
- Don Cherry
- Eydie Gorme
- Professor Backwards (Jimmy Edmonson)
- Rosemary DeCamp
- Hal Leroy
- Leo Carrillo
- Ish Kabibble
- Cab Calloway
- Steve Lawrence
- Captain Kangaroo
- Zippy the Chimp
- Homer and Jethro
- Sergeant Preston (Richard Simmons)
- Jonah Jones
- Jimmy Nelson
- Marvin Miller
- Bobby Hackett
- Gretchen Wyler
- Lee Marvin
- Peg Leg Bates
- Popeye
- Dick Roman
- Molly Bee
- John Bubbles
- Johnny Nash
- The Eddie Heywood Trio
- Buffalo Bill
- The Chipmunks
- Cozy Cole
- Henry “Red” Allen
- The Irvin Twins
- June Valli
- Johnny Johnson
- Don Goldie
- Jack Haskell
- Bobby Lewis
- Doc Severinsen
- Grady Nutt
- Paula Wayne
- Clark Terry and Marilyn Maye
- Johnny Hartman
- Jo Ann Hale
- Linda Bennett
- Judy Marshall
- Sherry Sizemore
- Diana Trask
- Hal Frazier
- Bobby Lewis
- Chuck Woolery
- Merv Griffin
- Clyde McCoy
- Urbie Green
- Frank Linkenberg
- No national entertainers participated in Crusade 19 ( 1972 )
- Marla Adams
- McLean Stevenson
- Jo Anne Worley
- Tommy Leonetti
- Mary Stuart
- Arnie Lawrence
1955: Norman Ganz’ Jazz at the Philharmonic, Featuring:
- Ella Fitzgerald
- The Gene Krupa Quartet
- Buddy Rich
- Lester Young
- Dizzy Gillespie
- Oscar Peterson
- Flip Eldridge
- Illinois Jacquet
- Ray Brown
- Herb Ellis
1957: Bill Haley and His Comets
1956: The Modern Jazz Quartet
1959: The Crickets, Dion & The Belmonts, Jimmy Clanton, Frankie Sardo, Frankie Avalon, Fabian (Buddy Holly scheduled to perform on February 11, 1959, but died in a plane crash on February 3, 1959)
1959: Fabian
1959: Frankie Sardo
1959: Jimmy Clanta
1960: World of Suzie Wong
1962: Dave Brubeck
1964: Tickets to the Rolling Stones show cost $4. (Collectors today are offering $5,000 for the show’s poster)
1966: Lovin’ Spoonful
Mid-70s: The new Louisville Ballet begins performing
1972: Hollies & Raspberries with Danny O’ Keefe
1973: Super Session featuring Mike Bloomfield & Friends
1973: Slade & Marshall Tucker Band
1974: Aerosmith
1974: Ted Nugent & The Amboy Dukes
1974: Irish Rovers
1974: Shawn Phillips
1974: Elephant’s Memory
1975: Alice Cooper
1975: Jimmy Buffett
1975: John Prine
1975: Kiss and Rush
1976: John Mellencamp & Tiger Force
1977: Supertramp
1977: Billy Joel
1977: The Babys, Piper
1977: Burton Cummings
1977: Weather Report & Al Di Meola
1977: David Allan Coe
1978: U.K.
1978: Leon Redbone & Tom Waits
1978: Midnight Star
1978: Cactus with Bob Seger
1978: The Outlaws, Travers Band, Head East
1978: Starz
1978: Ramsey Lewis
1978: Patti Smith Group performs.
1978: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
1978: Martin Mull
1978: Mikhail Baryshnikov performs with the Louisville Ballet. The building joins the National Register of Historic Places and becomes a Louisville Landmark.
1978: Tom Waits
1979: Triumph
1979: Elvis Costello & The Attractions, The Robinoos
1979: Alex Bevan, Phoebe Snow
1979: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, The Fabulous Poodles
1980: The Peking Opera performs
1980: Robert Palmer
1980: The Pretenders
1981: Leon Russell & New Grass Revival
1981: Boxcar Willie with Robyn Young & Allen McCoy
1982: UFO and Saxon
1982: Rainbow, Iron Maiden, 38 Special
1983: The ballet leaves for the new Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts.
1983: Servant, DeGarmo & Key, Randy Matthews
1985: Steve Taylor
1986: Stryper
1986: Arlo Guthrie and John Price
1986: REM
1986: Michael W. Smith
1989: John Prine & David Bromberg
1989: Violent Femmes
1989: Petra
1996: Poet Ron Whitehead hosts the Official Hunter S. Thompson Tribute. Johnny Depp, Roxanne Pulitzer and David Amram attend. Writer Paul McDonald says, “It was a wild evening” and that Thompson was “blasting anyone within close range with a fire extinguisher.”
1996: Warren Zevon
1997: Ani DiFranco
2004: Shelly Garrett’s “Beauty Shop: Under New Management”
2010: University of Louisville National Pan-Hellenic Council’s Annual “Homecoming Step Show”
2010: Miss Kentucky Teen USA and Miss Kentucky USA Pageants
2016-2019: Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker
2018-2019: Stage One Family Theatre Presents “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” & “Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing”
2018: State Ballet Theatre of Russia’s Swan Lake
2019: Honor Flight Bluegrass Presents WWII 75th D-Day Celebration Concert
2019: Louisville Chorus
2020: The auditorium hosts professional boxing for the first time with Carlos Dixon, WBC Youth Super Featherweight