The Robinson Theater

Built in 1937 in Richmond's Church Hill neighborhood, the Robinson Theater is a restored Art Deco Moderne building named for Richmond native Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. Commissioned by Hill Entertainment Group and designed by architect Edward F. Sinnott, the theater once anchored the neighborhood's social life, hosting films, singers, dancers, jazz bands, and amateur talent shows, before closing in the mid-1980s after decades of decline. A 2008 historic restoration returned the building to community use, complete with a replica of its original marquee. Today the Robinson Theater Community Arts Center operates as a multi-purpose nonprofit space, hosting dance, karate, acting, and music lessons alongside movie nights, community meetings, receptions, and recitals. Conveniently located near I-64 in Richmond's East End, the theater is available for private event rental, with a virtual tour offered on its website for prospective renters.