Lincoln Theatre, New Haven

Tucked away on Lincoln Street in a quiet residential corner of New Haven, the Lincoln Theatre—also known as the Little Theatre on Lincoln Street—is a rare and resilient relic of the early 20th-century American theater movement. Built in 1924, it holds the distinction of being the only surviving venue in Connecticut associated with the Little Theatre Movement (1911–1933), a grassroots push for intimate, non-commercial, and often experimental theater.

Designed as a dedicated performance space, the theatre features a gable-roofed auditorium and entryway, with backstage and dressing room facilities housed in the rear. In the 2010s, a sleek glass-and-stone addition was built on the left side of the original structure, blending modern design with historical charm. Located just three blocks from the New Haven Green, the building stands as both a neighborhood landmark and a cultural time capsule.

The Lincoln Theatre's early years were shaped by Yale professor Jack Crawford and his circle of creatives. After 1935, it came under the wing of the Federal Theater Project, part of the New Deal's Works Progress Administration, until the project ended in 1939. The venue then pivoted to commercial theater and, by 1945, was reborn as a film house specializing in foreign and art films. Under the ownership of Robert Spodick—who also ran the York Square Cinemas—the Lincoln Theatre became a local favorite until its closure in 1982.

Two years later, in 1986, the theater found new life when it was acquired by ACES Educational Center for the Arts, a public arts magnet school. Initially used for private and school-related events, the building underwent a significant restoration in 2012, revitalizing its Art Deco interiors and theatrical functionality. Rebranded as the ACES Little Theatre, it continues to serve the local community as a performance space and educational hub.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1984, the Lincoln Theatre is a testament to New Haven’s layered cultural history—a space where performance, preservation, and education intersect.