The Argyle Theatre

The Argyle Theatre is a year-round professional performing arts venue located on Main Street in the Village of Babylon. Operating from a historic theater building with roots dating to the early 1920s, the Argyle presents Broadway-style musicals, plays, children’s theater, concerts, comedy and special performances in the heart of downtown Babylon.

The modern Argyle Theatre opened in 2018 following an extensive renovation of the former Babylon Theatre, a longtime neighborhood movie house that had closed several years earlier. The project restored the building to use as a single live-performance theater with an orchestra level, balcony, orchestra pit and modern theatrical production systems.

More Than a Century of Entertainment in Babylon

The history of the theater property reaches back to 1921, when the Babylon Leader reported plans for a new $100,000 theater on Main Street. The proposed 1,500-seat Capitol Theatre was envisioned as a major entertainment venue that could serve local residents while adding to Babylon’s appeal as a summer destination.

By 1923, the Capitol Theatre was presenting a varied schedule that included vaudeville and adaptations of Broadway productions. The theater reflected an era when large neighborhood entertainment houses commonly combined live stage performances with the rapidly growing motion picture business.

The theater reopened under new ownership as the Babylon Theatre in 1925. Improvements included an electric marquee, and the reopening generated enough interest that hundreds of prospective patrons reportedly could not be accommodated on opening night.

Over the decades that followed, the Babylon Theatre survived two fires, changes in ownership and major transformations in the movie industry. It continued primarily as a cinema until closing in 2014, ending a long chapter in the building’s history as a local movie house.

Creation of The Argyle Theatre

The historic theater received a new purpose when Mark and Dylan Perlman, a father-and-son team from Seaford, undertook a roughly $4 million project to transform the former cinema into a professional live theater. Their goal was to establish a year-round venue capable of presenting Broadway-caliber theatrical productions on Long Island’s South Shore.

The renovation involved substantial changes to the interior, including construction of a large stage and installation of modern lighting, sound and rigging systems. Carpeting and curtains were updated, an upstairs lounge and bar were added, and the theater’s prominent Main Street marquee and sign were refurbished.

The project also received public economic-development support, including a $150,000 grant from New York State’s Empire State Development Corporation and tax incentives from the Babylon Industrial Development Agency.

The newly renovated Argyle Theatre opened in spring 2018 with a production of Guys and Dolls, returning large-scale live theatrical performances to the historic Main Street building.

Professional Theater in Babylon Village

The Argyle operates as a professional Equity theater, presenting a regular season of fully staged productions featuring professional performers. Its Main Stage schedule centers heavily on musicals while also incorporating plays and other theatrical productions.

The theater typically presents six Main Stage productions during its annual season. Productions are created for the Argyle stage with professional performers, musicians and creative teams and make use of the theater’s orchestra pit, lighting, sound and rigging systems.

Beyond its Main Stage season, the Argyle presents children’s theater, concerts, comedy and special events throughout the year. This broader programming allows the building to function as a year-round entertainment venue rather than operating only during a traditional theatrical season.

Inside The Argyle Theatre

The renovated auditorium contains nearly 500 seats divided between an orchestra level and an elevated balcony. Its comparatively intimate scale allows the theater to accommodate substantial musical productions while keeping audiences relatively close to the stage.

The theater includes an orchestra pit and professional lighting, sound and rigging systems designed to support large-scale musical theater. A full-service bar and upstairs lounge provide additional gathering space for patrons attending performances.

Accessible seating is available through the box office. Visitors should be aware that the balcony is reached by a considerable number of stairs and does not have elevator access, making the orchestra level the appropriate choice for patrons who cannot comfortably use stairs.

A Downtown Babylon Location

The Argyle Theatre is located at 34 West Main Street in Babylon Village, placing it directly within the community’s downtown shopping and dining district. Numerous restaurants and businesses are within walking distance, making it possible to combine a performance with dining or other activities in the village.

The theater is also within walking distance of the Babylon Long Island Rail Road station, providing a public transportation option for visitors traveling from elsewhere on Long Island or New York City. Drivers can use parking available in and around Babylon Village, although visitors should allow additional time to locate parking before popular performances.

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The Argyle Theatre

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Key Facts & Details

Venue	The Argyle Theatre
Location	Babylon Village, Suffolk County, New York
Address	34 West Main Street, Babylon, NY 11702
Historic Theater Origins	Early 1920s
Former Names	Capitol Theatre and Babylon Theatre
Argyle Theatre Opened	Spring 2018
Opening Production	Guys and Dolls
Owners/Developers	Mark and Dylan Perlman
Renovation Investment	Approximately $4 million
Venue Type	Year-round professional Equity theater
Seating	Nearly 500 seats on orchestra and balcony levels
Main Stage Season	Six professional productions annually
Programming	Musicals, plays, children’s theater, concerts, comedy and special events
Amenities	Orchestra pit, professional lighting and sound, rigging systems, full-service bar and upstairs lounge
Accessibility	Accessible seating available through the box office; balcony is accessible only by stairs and has no elevator
Public Transportation	Walking distance from the Babylon Long Island Rail Road station
Box Office	631-230-3500 / 844-631-LIVE (5483)
Website	The Argyle Theatre

The Argyle Theatre has returned a historic Babylon entertainment venue to the live stage while preserving a Main Street theater tradition that began more than a century ago. Its professional theatrical seasons, children’s productions, concerts and special events have made the restored former movie house an active part of Babylon Village’s downtown and a significant performing arts destination on Long Island’s South Shore.