Step inside the Broome County Forum Theatre on a winter evening and something shifts. The house lights catch the ornate, lighted dome overhead — restored to its early-twentieth-century grandeur — and the proscenium arch frames the stage like a gilded portal to another era. You’re standing in one of the Southern Tier’s most storied performance spaces, a room that has survived vaudeville, the Depression, the rise and fall of cinema, and a county government rescue mission. The Forum doesn’t just host shows. It outlasts everything.
A Century of Reinvention
The building at 236 Washington Street opened in 1919 as the Binghamton Theatre, a vaudeville and silent film house built during the post-war boom that swept the Southern Tier’s industrial cities. When talkies arrived and the Depression hollowed out downtown, the Binghamton Theatre shuttered in 1931. It reopened in 1946 as a movie palace, closed again in 1951, then returned in 1960 as the Capri Theatre — a run that lasted until 1973.
The turnaround came from an unlikely source. On September 16, 1975, the Broome County Legislature voted to accept the Capri as a gift and convert it into a public performing arts venue. The dedication ceremony ten days later marked the birth of the Forum Theatre. The building earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008, a formal acknowledgment of what locals had known for decades: this room matters.
The Room
The Forum seats 1,522 with a pit orchestra configuration and 1,553 without one — intimate enough for a chamber concert, big enough to draw national touring acts. The auditorium is a two-part structure: the main rectangular theater block dating to 1919 and a lobby entrance added in 1981. The real draw, though, is the restored interior. The dome ceiling was returned to its historical detail during renovations, and the proscenium arch gives the stage a classical frame that feels earned, not decorative.
Acoustics are a genuine strength. Patrons who’ve attended unamplified Binghamton Philharmonic performances rave about the natural sound — the spatial depth and clarity that amplified venues simply can’t replicate. For symphonic and chamber music, the Forum punches well above its weight class.
Who Plays Here
The Forum serves as the home venue for the Binghamton Philharmonic and the Tri-Cities Opera, two institutions that anchor the Southern Tier’s classical music scene. But the calendar extends well beyond orchestral programming. The Broadway Theatre League brings touring productions through regularly. Recent seasons have featured acts ranging from Randy Travis to Riverdance, with comedy bookings, family shows, and local dance ensembles filling in the gaps. The Forum shares management and marketing with the neighboring Visions Veterans Memorial Arena, giving the complex a one-two punch: the arena handles hockey and large-scale events, while the Forum delivers the kind of performances that need a real theater.
Getting There and Parking
The Forum sits in downtown Binghamton, easily accessible from I-81 and Route 17/I-86. Parking is available in the Metro Center parking lot on Henry Street and at all municipal parking ramps. After 5:30 PM on weekdays (and all day on weekends), the Metro Center lot charges $6.00 for the first two hours and $2.00 for each additional hour. Limited accessible parking is available at the neighboring Arena on Stuart Street on a first-come, first-served basis with a valid hangtag or handicapped plate ($3 fee).
If you’re coming from out of town, the Binghamton area sits at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango rivers — a scenic drive from almost any direction, especially if you take Route 7 in from the east.
Where to Eat
Downtown Binghamton has quietly become one of the Southern Tier’s best dining corridors, and the Forum’s central location puts you within easy walking distance of strong options:
- Little Venice — Binghamton’s original Italian restaurant, serving authentic dishes since 1946. A pre-show staple for regulars.
- Remlik’s — Set in the historic Kilmer Building, Remlik’s brings creative American fare with a polished edge. Great cocktail program.
- Downtown by Chef Jay Pisculli — A newer addition that’s reshaping Binghamton’s dining scene, blending industrial atmosphere with inventive seasonal plates.
Insider Tips
The Forum is a remarkably democratic room — sightlines are clean from nearly every seat, and the acoustics reward the balcony as much as the orchestra. If you’re seeing the Binghamton Philharmonic, try to catch one of their unamplified performances; the natural resonance of the space is something you won’t forget. For touring acts, check both the Forum and the Arena schedules together, since the venues share a website and occasionally swap bookings based on demand.
One thing worth knowing: the Forum is a county-owned facility, which means ticket prices tend to be more reasonable than comparable venues in larger markets. It’s one of the best values in Upstate New York for live performance.
Website: broomearenaforum.com/forum