History of The Kavinoky Theatre

The Kavinoky Theatre opened in the 1980-81 season, but the idea for it was born a decade earlier during a production of "The Importance of Being Earnest" on the original, unrestored theatre stage.

Under the artistic direction of David Lamb, the idea was two-fold:

1. To form a local company of paid professional actors to produce a subscription season of plays and to work as an ensemble along the lines of traditional repertory company.

2. To raise money through the auspices of D'Youville College to restore the small Edwardian gem of a theatre to serve as a home for the company.

The 1970's were spent producing in the Porter-View Room under the company name of Stage Centre. At that time we were the only locally producing professional theatre company in Buffalo since Studio Arena cast from New York. By 1979 we had a healthy balance in the bank of $11,000 and the D'Youville Capital Campaign to restore the theatre under the leadership of Edward Kavinoky was completed.