Byrd Theatre announces it will be open to the public at Christmastime

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - A Richmond tradition at Christmas time will be back. The Byrd Theatre will open its doors to the public for the first time since the pandemic began.

The Byrd Theatre has allowed private showings, but now you’ll be able to see Christmas movies there starting at the end of this month, but there is a catch, only 50 movie-goers will be allowed at a time.

Stacy Shaw, the theatre’s Executive Director, says the theatre has decided to open its doors to the public for smaller showings of a variety of holiday movies.

“With only 50 tickets per performance, they’re going really quickly,” she said.

Shaw says the theatre is down in business by about 98 percent. Currently, the theatre has just four showings, two sold out in twenty-four hours. At each show, the beloved Mighty Wurlitzer Organ will play and snow will fall.

“We intend to add more, we’re just doing one at a time because, as a non-profit, we rely on those ticket sales with donations, and we have to make sure there’s going to be an audience in place, or else we can’t afford to have the doors open,” she said.

But one tradition that won’t be back this year, showing “It’s a Wonderful Life” on Christmas Eve and Christmas.

“We have dates on either side of that, and all through the week between Christmas and New Year,” Shaw said.

The theatre is also hoping to make this as safe as possible, with customers buying tickets online, as well as snacks from the concessions stand.

“They can also buy concession packages, in like groups of one, two, or family four-pack,” she said.

The box office will not be open, this will all be done online. There is currently a showing for National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and a showing of Love Actually with tickets available.

Tickets cost $10.

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