Ritz Theatre

Beautiful museum. Definitely holds a part of Jacksonville history I didn’t realize has happened.

This is a very nice venue. The lobby is nice and inviting, space to sit and mingle as you wait for the show to start. The museum is very nice, I especially liked how the lighting put an accent on the artwork on display. The concession area was stocked with great choices of beer, liquor and wine. The staff was nice and helpful also.

I love the artists that come through here in Jacksonville! I’m thrilled that they’ve included the museum and art exhibits as well! I’d say the only thing keeping the Ritz from providing their own stellar performance is the bathroom going I inspected. It’s not my first time that I have used the restroom there, being forced to ask someone to pass me some toilet paper under the door. I would say of the handful of times I’ve been there, I’ve had to dry my hands on toilet paper or just pocket dried. It would be perceived as a way classier spot with a restroom attendant being dedicated to keeping up with patrons.
I would also suggest that employees, rather than sit at the public tables in the foyer to socialize with their coworkers, that they head to the back office for that. Then I’m less likely to feel bad about interrupting their animated fun to ask for toilet paper… again.

I was very impressed with the experience! The parking was plentiful and free, which was cool. The building is very distinctive, so it was easy to find. The staff were all very polite and professional. The facilities were well maintained and comfortable for a gathering.
The museum tour was very interesting. I learned a lot about the history of the Lavilla area and some of the illustrious people who have called it home. It was very informative and moving. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and delightful. I enjoyed the stories she told about the exhibits. The robotic show for «Lift Evry Voice and Sing» was really neat. I think that kids would really enjoy it too.
The performance space was nice as well, with good acoustics for sound. The stage was a good size and it was easy to see the performers, even from the back of the house. The seats were standard theater seating, but they were comfortable enough. It was very dark in there, so it was a little bit difficult to find my seat, but the staff was very helpful in this regard.
All in all, I had a great experience at the Ritz and I highly recommend that everyone go take the museum tour and see a show there. I look forward to going back as soon as I can!

AMAZING.
This place is Jacksonville. It is our history and showcases some of the best people – the ones that shaped the city we are today.
And, oh-​by-​the-​way, they happen to have some awesome jazz concerts!

This was my first trip the the Ritz Theater and Museum. And I was very happily impressed! The theater is beautiful. Now I suck because I do not remember ANY of the names of the people from the theater and/​or the museum who greeted us, but everyone was super gracious and welcoming. The woman who gave us the tour of the Lavilla Museum was INCREDIBLE!!! She took IMMENSE pride in the museum she helped to build, and the significance on the local African American history, and the impact of the area on the civil rights movement. The animitronic presentation of the Johnson Brothers was pretty cool… and was very well done in telling the story. It made it that much more interesting.
The auditorium was the next stop. and I was absolutely blown away by the performers!!! The Watts Trio opened, and jammed for about 45 minutes. He was incredible!!! More impressive was his Bass Guitar player (if anyone knows his name please message me).
The theater is on the smaller side… which means there really no bad seat in the house. The acoustics are very good. The word I would use is «intimate».
There was a brief intermission and Diane Schuur came out onto the stage. She was great!!! So entertaining, and engrossing. I enjoyed getting to know her through her words and music. We bought a CD, and listened to it this evening.
I am very glad I found the Ritz theater and look forward to attending many more shows.

The Ritz Theatre is located right in the heart of Downtown Jacksonville and is a beautiful building that focuses on the many varied, exceptional artistic talents of the African American community in Jacksonville. They show many different African American based productions, from theater to dance to spoken word, and they also have the Ritz Chamber Players, which is a nationally renowned orchestra that features many «preeminent African American musicians and composers».
With Jacksonville having such a diverse community and a strong African American population, the Ritz Theatre is hugely important to the representation and development of the arts in Jacksonville. They focus on the talents and history of the African American community and display said talents to the city and to the nation. The LaVilla Museum is a great way to learn more about the African American historical impact on Jacksonville’s arts and culture.
If you haven’t been to the Ritz, then you haven’t truly experienced Jacksonville.

I just recently attended an event where a client of mine was the host of a fashion show held at the historic Ritz Theatre. The Ritz has a history that dates back to the 1800’s when the area of Lavilla was first settled. The theatre has always been a place for African-​Americans to celebrate theatre, film and music and was termed the «Harlem of the South».
Rich in culture, the venue is a nice alternative to a standard civic center or convention center. The staff there was amazing at accommodating our needs for the function. Although I wasn’t in charge of the complete logistics of the event, I could see that they definitely handled all the event needs in a professional approach.
The lobby area has ample space to hold a reception or to use as a wecolme/​registration area for any function. With 400 seats, the auditorium can definitely satisfy your needs to host a comedy show, audition, play or any other smaller stage production.
There are several rooms and hallways that can be used for dressing, hosting and/​or subsequent event needs backstage. I needed chairs and tables for my client’s set-​up and they had linens and great quality banquet supplies for our desires.
So, I’m planning on coming back to host an audition for a modeling troupe and hope they will be equally as accommdating for my events needs.
One thing I truly hate when I’m booking venues is inaccessible parking. Nothing bites more than having to lug and haul trucks full of supplies across a parking lot. The staff was very accommodating by allowing us to pull right up the front door to unload, park in their event staff parking and they even helped load stuff back to the car when we were done.
So kudos to the Ritz Theatre and their staff for the help! Planners, if you’re looking for an alternative space to use, even if it’s not an African-​American event, definitely check out the location.