THE HISTORIC

TIVOLI

THEATRE


Welcome to the historic tivoli theatre

On Friday, October 8, 2021 One Family Church re-opened the historic Tivoli Theater.  The theater is currently undergoing renovations and is not available for reservations at this time.


St. Louis Public Radio: Tivoli Theatre In St. Louis Will Reopen With New Owners



PARKING: Available in the municipal lot next to the theatre, in the parking garage directly across the street, or in large, free lots located just north of Delmar between Leland and Kingsland.

One Family Church welcomes you to the Tivoli Theatre.


The Tivoli Theater is a 100 year-old beloved treasure in St. Louis. It is the most prominent edifice on the Historic Delmar Loop in University City and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The theater opened on May 10, 1924 with a seating capacity of 1,440. Originally, the Tivoli was a dual-purpose theater in that it hosted live vaudeville performances with live music, and also silent films. When it opened, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch described the theatre as having "luxury and splendour eclipsing that of any other St. Louis theatre" and "the piece de resistance of glorified beauty."


St. Louis Magazine: The Tivoli Theatre Turns 90


Through the years, the Tivoli Theatre went through numerous name and ownership changes. For over a decade it was operated by Landmark Theatres (1977 to 1991), but suffered a long period of decline and closed in 1994.


In 1995, a local developer and visionary, Joe Edwards, purchased the Tivoli and began meticulously restoring it in an effort to bring it back to its 1924 splendour. After a renovation costing in excess of $2 million, the Tivoli Theatre reopened on May 19, 1995 as a three-screen theatre.

Landmark began operating the theater again in 1999, but stopped operating it in March of 2020.


In November of 2021, One Family Church purchased the theater and began an approximately $800,000 renovation to return it to its original dual purpose of both live events and film screenings. One Family Church removed the two small side auditoriums, and opened up the space for large public gatherings. The styrofoam drop ceilings were removed to expose the exquisite beauty and grandeur of the original 1924 decorative arched ceiling. As part of the renovation, One Family Church also installed:

  • a $100,000.00 professional lighting design;
  • a large professional stage;
  • motors in the original fly space to allow screens and curtains to rise and fall as originally designed;
  • a state of the art production suite;
  • all new bathrooms; and
  • all new seating.

One Family Church holds worship services in the Tivoli on Sunday, and will begin hosting monthly film events in 2023, focusing on classics, blockbuster films, Sundance Festival films, and family movies. The film events will include refreshments, live music, and Q&A sessions after the screenings.