In May 1973 Live Theatre returned to the stage of the Apollo as the Berkeley County Civic Theatre in corporation with the present building owners, Elwood and Margaret Lane, presented "Oklahoma".
Mr. and Mrs. Lanes business plans changed as they acquired the Berkeley Plaza with multiple movie screens and they wanted to sell the Thorn Building, which housed the Apollo Theatre. Realizing the importance of preserving the theatre structure, the group purchased the Thorn Building in 1975 from Mr. and Mrs. Elwood Lane and Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Burkhart and has since been involved in an extensive renovation program. In 1979, the BCCT was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 1987, the theatre was renamed the "Apollo Civic Theatre". The members of ACT believe that the theatre belongs to the community and can only be successful if the entire community supports and utilizes the facility.
The theatre is a non-profit organization. The expenditures are great and the shows and other activities that go on at the theatre does not generate enough money to sustain the operation so fund raisers are held throughout the year along with a patron and business membership support. At various times, after the theatre group bought the building, many people thought that the theatre may have closed down because it was so low on funds.