The other major Savannah landmark on Reynolds Square is the Lucas Theatre for the Arts (32 Abercorn St., 912/525-5040, www.lucastheatre.com). Built in 1921 as part of Arthur Lucas’ regional chain of movie houses, the Lucas also featured a stage for road shows.

Ornate and stately but with cozy warmth to spare, the venue was a hit with Savannahians for four decades, until the advent of TV and residential flight from downtown led to financial disaster. In 1976, the Lucas closed after a screening of The Exorcist. Several attempts to revive the venue followed, including a comedy club in the ’80s, but to no avail.

When the building faced demolition in 1986, a group of citizens created a nonprofit to save it. Despite numerous starts and stops, the 14-year campaign finally paid off in a grand reopening in December 2000, an event helped immeasurably by timely donations from Midnight star Kevin Spacey and the cast and crew of the locally shot Forrest Gump.

Administered by a public/private partnership between local taxpayers and the Savannah College of Art and Design, the Lucas now hosts world-class entertainment and civic events year-round. The theater’s schedule stays pretty busy, so it should be easy to check out a show while you’re in town.

Once inside, be sure to check out the extensive gold-leaf work throughout the interior, all painstakingly done by hand.