Belcourt Theatre Est. 1925

On May 18, 1925 M. A. Lightman opened the Hillsboro Theatre for silent film, vaudeville, live concerts, and plays. Raffaelo Mattei, an image maker, of Gromignana, Italy, sculpted the stage arch. From 1926 to 1964, the stage housed the Little Theatre Guild, Children's Theatre, Community Playhouse, and Theatre Nashville. There, hundreds of plays developed the careers of Claude Jarman, Christine Tibbot. Sam Tarpley, and Delbert Mann. From 1935 to 1936, the Hillsboro Theatre also served as the Grand Ole Opry's first stage. Opry stars such as DeFord Bailey attracted thousands here each week, and the Opry developed its signature live format. The theatre was renamed Belcourt Cinema in 1964 to focus on film exhibition. In 1968 a new second screen made it the first twin cinema in Tennessee. By 1999 the Belcourt was in disrepair and struggling to find purpose. Because developers threatened to raze the building, community members formed a nonprofit organization, which is still operative as of 2024, to save the Belcourt Theatre. The Belcourt Theatre underwent major renovation and preservation projects that were completed in 2016.