The Lyric Theatre

Weaving together the history of the Lyric Theatre over the past 100 years is a story of community, commitment, and creativity.  A community that joined together to support and save this historic treasure is our story. The thriving Lyric Theatre we now know is a testament to our Community.  
           
Built in 1925 as a silent movie house with a small stage for Vaudeville acts, The Lyric was the largest building in Martin County.  It was built for $100,000 by Judge John Hancock and his wife, Mamie. The Lyric Building, as it was called, had a 900-seat theatre and featured retail storefronts, including Bailey’s Drug Store with an eleven-foot-long soda fountain counter.

The Lyric opened its doors on March 15, 1926, with a special presentation featuring an overture by Mrs. Hancock on the pipe organ and screening of Skinner’s Dress Suit. With so much excitement from the community, The Lyric was packed to capacity, and large numbers of people were turned away. The Stuart Daily News reported, “Judging from the attendance at the theatre, The Lyric is going to be a mighty popular place.  It is indeed an ideal playhouse and one that every resident of Stuart might well be proud of.”

Newly equipped with a sound picture machine, the first talkie ever screened in Martin County was featured on December 1, 1930. The Lyric was drawing record crowds, and the Hancock’s received tremendous praise and support from the community.
           
The Lyric fell on hard times, however, after the Great Depression, and in 1937, The Lyric passed out of the hands of the Hancock family. Over the following years, it was leased out to the Sparkes Theater chain and various community groups to present traveling vaudeville shows, news weeklies, and movies.  

In 1978, The Lyric was purchased by the New Life in Christ Church, which used the theatre for weekly worship services.  By 1987, the church wanted to move, and the theatre was put up for sale.

Roy Laycock, a visionary and realtor, saw the historic Lyric as an anchor for downtown Stuart and a much-needed entertainment center for Martin County, which would add to the quality of life and foster a sense of community pride.

Knowing the historic building was essential to bringing life back to downtown, Roy prepared terms to purchase the historic building from the Church and entered into a verbal agreement to buy the landmark structure for $300,000, with a $5,000 deposit required to finalize the contract. Roy went door to door seeking out ten $500 donors, and within 24 hours, the funds were raised.

Believing that the community should be the owner of The Lyric, Roy assembled an amazing team of people with fundraising and operational backgrounds to help ignite and support his vision.

The church allowed the use of the theatre for fundraising activities while it was under contract, which was a tremendous help. Fundraising, cash loans, and personal guarantees by board members made the purchase possible, and The Friends of the Lyric now owned the historic theatre.

These visionaries were truly a working Board.  They ushered patrons, served drinks, cleaned the theatre, painted and patched, and even prayed that the restrooms would work when there was a packed house.

Their payoff was the chance to gather weekly to pick the bands that would perform, and hopefully raise the much-needed funds to continue the vision.  If a Board member selected an artist, they were responsible for booking the act, marketing the show, selling tickets, recruiting volunteers, loading and unloading the band’s equipment, and any other tasks necessary to present the show.
           
With a building in great disrepair, two major grants were secured in 1993.  Community grassroots efforts and these grants provided the funds to repair the roof, tent the building for termites, repair holes in the plaster, reinforce the stage floor, upgrade the electrical wiring and rigging, add a new projection and control room, as well as many other improvements.
           
Even with all of these repairs, there was still so much more that was needed to make The Lyric accessible and comfortable. The Balcony seats were tattered and covered with scat, and the only way to access the balcony was the narrow stairways.  The community rose to the need again, and in 2001, an elevator and new balcony seats were installed.

In an interesting twist of fate, a lot immediately adjacent to The Lyric was made available to the Board of Directors in 1999 for an expansion. This future expansion was greatly needed to enhance the artistic and cultural programming, most importantly to provide a proper backstage area for national touring acts. At the time, there was a very small dressing room and a basement, which had no restroom facilities; these were the only areas available for artists to prepare for a show. 

Many rummage sales and fundraisers were held on this lot to raise funds for the expansion. In 2004, the expansion project began with the support and commitment of donors, patrons, and community partners. The stage was enlarged by 16 feet and equipped with a backstage area and a restroom. The Lyric was now able to present larger productions, including full-scale orchestras and dance companies. 

Nearing 90 years of service, the community once again stepped up to meet the need to support another vital capital campaign to preserve, protect, and beautify the historic structure. The Lyric underwent an extensive facelift to elevate its interiors to match the high-caliber artists that perform on the stage. The 2014 renovation included massive structural repairs, new orchestra seating, a remodeled Box Office and Lobby featuring a new bar, and the addition of architectural elements and ornamentation. 

On March 14, 2020, The Lyric was shuttered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Just before the outbreak of the pandemic, the Board of Directors had saved enough funds to perform critical building repairs and maintenance, including a new roof and air conditioning units, while also cautiously saving for a Building Improvement Fund. The project, though extremely essential to the preservation of The Lyric, had to be put on hold.

The community overwhelmingly supported Friends of the Lyric during the closure with financial contributions, ensuring the organization could survive until the doors could be reopened.

In 2021, as the grip of the pandemic began to wane, the community of loyal and generous supporters made it possible to perform the essential building repairs that had been put on hold. A new roof, air conditioning units with state-of-the-art air purification systems, and new carpeting were installed, and the marquees were restored. On October 1, 2021, The Lyric’s doors opened again to serve the community.

The Lyric was built for the community, and the community has come together time and time again to preserve and protect this historical gem and cultural resource. Providing access to arts and culture is essential for strengthening the power of change and making this a stronger community. Friends of the Lyric are dedicated to strengthening our commitment to empowering, educating, and inspiring the leaders of tomorrow, while providing a home for the performing arts on the Treasure Coast.