Located in Jacksonville, FL, the Alhambra Dinner Theatre is the oldest running dinner theater and one of fewer than ten still in existence in the entire United States. This Jacksonville icon was founded in 1967 by Ted Johnson and George Ballis, and it rapidly grew over the following decades until difficult economic conditions forced the doors closed in 2009.
Because of its popularity in the Jacksonville community, a new owner quickly stepped in. Craig Smith oversaw a renovation project—painting the interior and exterior, repairing the flooring, and changing the fixtures. He reopened it on December 1, 2009 with a production of A Christmas Carol, which had been a fixture at Alhambra for the previous 20 years. The theater has been thriving ever since, and Craig is the Managing Partner to this day.
Over the course of the theater’s history, it has hosted legends including Sid Cesar, Ann B. Davis, Tony Curtis, Claude Aiken, and Cesar Romero. In 2017, Alhambra Dinner Theatre held a number of special events throughout the course of the year to celebrate its Golden Anniversary of 50 years in operation. Today, the Alhambra is a cornerstone of Jacksonville’s vibrant arts scene, producing musicals and plays for the community and those who travel to experience all the theater has to offer.