Damage again befell The Victoria during the catastrophic Great Dayton Flood of 1913 which severely damaged the Dayton region along with the ground floor of the theater . The theater 's interior was rebuilt and remodeled . But on January 16 , 1918 , fire struck again and gutted portions of the building . Reconstruction was delayed due to material shortages during World War I. Thus , after Armistice , The Victoria saw extensive interior remodeling and in 1919 re-opened as " The Victory Theatre " – a name commemorating the American war effort and its result . For decades , the theater thrived as a major national embarkation point for traveling theater and stock companies . This included performances by Al Jolson , The Marx Brothers , Helen Hayes , Fannie Brice , George M. Cohan , Lynn Fontayne , Gertrude Lawrence , Alfred Lunt , Harry Houdini , and many other names . In 1930 , the Victory Theatre was outfitted for talking pictures , in its effort to continue as a full-service cinema house
Great Dayton Flood
Great Dayton Flood
Victoria Theatre (Dayton, Ohio)