373 High Street

Morgantown, WV, 26505

morgantownmet.com

Morgantown’s Metropolitan Theatre opened in 1924 to much fanfare. The theater was
purpose-built by architect C. W. Bates and financiers John and George Comuntzis to recreate the
grandeur of New York City’s Metropolitan Opera House in West Virginia, thus earning it the
name of “West Virginia’s Most Beautiful Playhouse”. Its first show featured a sevenfold
vaudeville act which was advertised as hosting performers who were “among the highest price
and most capable.” Guests entering the theater were met with a swath of valets to attend them,
ensuring its opening would be memorable. The theater would go on to host pictures, more
vaudeville acts, and even operas: “The Marriage of Figaro” and “Madame Butterfly” would go
on to be performed on its stage. The theater was a home for community events and clubs: the

West Virginia University Symphony Orchestra would often perform there and the theater was
even used for church services. The Metropolitan Theatre continued to see success throughout
early 1900s and drew in notable artists, including Bing Crosby, Count Basie, John Denver, and
Duke Ellington. However, despite its early success the Metropolitan Theatre closed its doors in
the 1980s due to the growing appeal of mall theaters.
In 1984, the theater was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Soon after,
Morgantown residents renovated and repaired the theater privately until it was gifted to the city
of Morgantown in 2003. This resident-led project promoted the theatre’s full renovation by the
City of Morgantown’s Department of Arts and Cultural Development and the reopening of the
Metropolitan Theatre in 2010, adding a new page to its storied history. The Metropolitan Theater
celebrated its 100th birthday in 2024 with a marathon of movies starring Morgantown native Don
Knotts, accompanied by several live performers.
The Metropolitan Theater continues to be a home for Morgantown’s talented performers
and artists as well as the heart of its community. Visit them at https://morgantownmet.com/about/

Sources-

https://morgantownmet.com/about

https://wvculture.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Metropolitan-theatre.pdf

https://wvencyclopedia.org/entries/1715

https://www.dominionpost.com/2024/07/16/century-of-history-as-met-turns-100/

Written by Ethan Wimer, published 2025