Historic Turnage Theatre

For more than a century, the Historic Turnage Theatre has stood as one of eastern North Carolina's most treasured cultural landmarks. Located in the heart of downtown Washington, the theatre has evolved from a bustling vaudeville playhouse into a vibrant regional arts center, preserving the past while inspiring future generations.

Originally opened in 1913 by entrepreneur C.A. Turnage, the building began as an upstairs vaudeville theatre known as the "New Theatre," welcoming touring performers, musicians, comedians, and community productions during the golden age of live entertainment. As motion pictures transformed American entertainment, a grand palace-style movie theatre was added in 1930, making the Turnage one of the region's premier destinations for the new era of talking films. Today, the building remains a rare example of two historic performance venues housed within a single structure.

Visitors can still experience many of the theatre's original architectural features, including its sloped wooden floor, historic stage, balcony, proscenium arch, and backstage rigging in the original vaudeville theatre. The 1930 movie palace showcases elegant decorative plasterwork, a sweeping balcony, grand lobby, and classic Art Deco-inspired details that capture the glamour of early American cinemas. Careful restoration efforts have preserved these remarkable spaces while adapting them for modern performances and community events.

Turnage Theatre

Today, the Historic Turnage Theatre is home to the Beaufort County Arts Council, doing business as Arts of the Pamlico. Founded in 1963 and one of North Carolina's oldest state-designated arts councils, the organization purchased the theatre in 2013 and transformed it into a thriving arts campus serving Beaufort County and the surrounding region.

The theatre now hosts an exciting year-round calendar of live theatre, concerts, films, dance performances, art exhibitions, workshops, youth camps, educational programs, and community celebrations. Beyond its performance spaces, the building also features galleries, makerspaces, artist studios, and museum exhibits that celebrate the rich artistic and cultural heritage of eastern North Carolina. As both a preserved historic landmark and an active community gathering place, the Historic Turnage Theatre continues to connect people through creativity, culture, and the performing arts, ensuring its legacy lives on for generations to come.