Mac Rating: 5.00 | Votes: 1 | Date: 10/07/2026 04:38:00

The Johnny Mercer Theatre is a 2,524-seat performance venue within the Savannah Civic Center, located at 301 West Oglethorpe Avenue in the Savannah Historic District of Savannah, Georgia. The theatre is named after Savannah-born Johnny Mercer, a legendary figure in American music who wrote some of the most enduring songs in popular music history, including Moon River, That Old Black Magic, and Hooray for Hollywood. Built in 1974 as part of the larger Savannah Civic Center complex, the Johnny Mercer Theatre features one of the largest proscenium stages in the southeastern United States. The Savannah Civic Center complex also includes the Martin Luther King Jr. Arena (with a base capacity of 7,832, expandable to 9,600), the East and West Promenades (400 capacity each), and the Civic Center Grand Ballroom (400 capacity). Together, these venues have served the Savannah community for over five decades, hosting concerts, Broadway touring productions, comedy shows, conventions, exhibits, high school and college graduations, trade shows, ballet, and sporting events. The centre has been home to various minor league sports teams and has hosted conference basketball tournaments. In June 2024, the Savannah city council voted seven to one in favour of demolishing the ageing MLK Jr. Arena while renovating the Johnny Mercer Theatre, ballroom, and community meeting spaces at an estimated net cost of ninety to one hundred twenty million dollars. A community campaign to Save the Mercer had gathered significant public support prior to this decision, and the vote ensures the historic theatre will continue to serve as Savannah's premier live performance venue.