The theatre was a success under John Macauley, featuring the top actors of the day, such as Sarah Bernhardt, Lillie Langtry, Edwin Booth, George M. Cohan and showman Buffalo Bill.
Louisvillian Mary Anderson made her debut at the theatre in 1875 while the actress Alice Oates and her company appeared there four times between 1876 and 1879.
[1] With changing times, Macauleys began to occasionally show motion pictures in the 1910s.
Before closing its doors in 1998, the world renowned jam band Phish played two different shows across a four-month period in 1993, which is unheard of in today's music wheelhouse.
[2] Macauley's lobby was decorated with pictures of the famous actors and actresses who had performed there, many with personal inscriptions and dedications.