The Warner Theatre is a historic concert hall in downtown Washington, D.C. that has entertained audiences for a century. It opened on December 27, 1924 as the Earle Theatre, a lavish movie palace designed by architects C. Howard Crane and Kenneth Franzheim II, and was renamed the Warner Theatre in 1947. Located at 513 13th Street NW, the venue originally presented vaudeville acts alongside first-run silent films in a gold-leafed auditorium with a rooftop garden and basement ballroom.
After decades of use, the theatre closed in 1989 for a three-year, $10 million restoration led by the Kaempfer Company, reopening in October 1992 with a performance by Frank Sinatra. Today the Warner Theatre operates as a live music and events venue under Live Nation, seating 1,847 guests across its restored orchestra and mezzanine levels while retaining much of its original 1920s grandeur.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: 513 13th Street NW, Washington, D.C.
- Type: Historic concert hall / theatre
- Opened: December 27, 1924 (as the Earle Theatre)
- Renamed: Warner Theatre in 1947
- Capacity: 1,847 seated
- Major renovation: $10 million restoration, 1989–1992
- Operator: Live Nation
- Famous for: Hosting the Rolling Stones, Frank Sinatra, Bob Dylan, Prince, and Jay-Z
A Century-Old Stage in the Heart of D.C.
Designed in an eclectic style blending French Renaissance and Adam influences, the Warner Theatre was one of Washington’s grand movie palaces of the 1920s, featuring marble and gold-leaf finishes, ornate chandeliers, and a rooftop garden that made it a social destination as much as an entertainment venue.
The building shifted through decades of use as a cinema and event space before its early 1990s restoration brought back custom draperies, replicated chandeliers, and rebuilt mezzanine boxes, giving modern audiences a close approximation of the original 1924 design paired with updated sound, lighting, and production capabilities.
A Landmark Concert and Event Venue
Since reopening, the Warner Theatre has become one of D.C.’s premier mid-sized concert venues, hosting touring musicians across genres as well as comedy shows, film screenings, and corporate events. The Rolling Stones played the venue in 1978, and Frank Sinatra headlined its 1992 reopening.
The theatre also holds cultural significance as the site of the inaugural Gershwin Prize ceremony in 2007 and as the annual home of The Washington Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker, blending its concert-hall identity with a broader performing arts tradition.
Explore more: Explore more iconic Music Venues.
Warner Theatre FAQs
When did the Warner Theatre open?
It opened on December 27, 1924, originally under the name the Earle Theatre, before being renamed the Warner Theatre in 1947.
What is the seating capacity of the Warner Theatre?
The Warner Theatre seats 1,847 guests for concerts and events.
Who operates the Warner Theatre today?
Live Nation operates the venue, which hosts concerts, comedy shows, and other live events in downtown Washington, D.C.
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Photo: APK / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.