Earl and Rachel Smith Strand Theatre
On Halloween in 1930, fire swept the buildings on the northeast corner of Marietta Square, clearing the ground where a grander house would rise. From those ashes the Manning-Winks Theatre Company raised the Strand, the most modern theatre outside Atlanta, which opened its doors on September 24, 1935 with the premiere of Top Hat. Today the restored Earl and Rachel Smith Strand is said to keep two gentle residents: Bev, a woman on the second floor who loves to sing along with the movies, and Rik, a playful child who flicks off the lights and shuts the door on staffers hauling gear from the backstage closet. In keeping with old theatre tradition, a single bulb is left burning on the empty stage each night, the Ghost Light, so the room is never wholly dark. The theatre's longtime management insists the spirits are benevolent, asking only to be acknowledged and treated with respect.
📍 117 North Park Square, Marietta, GA 30060, Marietta, GA · Get directions