State Theatre New Jersey has announced the date for the historic New Brunswick venue’s reopening after a year of major renovations.
The free Reopening Ribbon Cutting and Marquee Lighting event is scheduled for Wednesday, October 6, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. Following the ribbon-cutting and guest speakers from 5:30 to 6:00 p.m., the State Theatre will be open to the public for self-guided tours from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
“We are so thrilled to welcome patrons back to our newly renovated theater, just in time for our 100th anniversary,” said State Theatre New Jersey President & CEO, Sarah K. Chaplin. “These renovations have made it possible to ensure accessibility throughout the theater, preserve our rich history, and continue to serve the community as a state-of-the-art cultural venue for many years to come. We look forward to bringing the power of live performance back to our beautiful, historic venue.”
The theatre’s renovations included new theatre seats, updated lobbies and restrooms, renovated studio space, a donor lounge, and increased accessibility features such as an elevator, accessible restrooms with touchless technology, plus accessible and companion seating. In addition, the theatre received a state-of-the-art HVAC system, a blade marquee sign, and a motorized stage rigging system.
The first live performance at the renovated theatre will be the musical Jimmy Buffett’s “Escape to Margaritaville” on Friday, October 8. The show will run through the weekend.
State Theatre New Jersey was originally built as a silent film and vaudeville palace in 1921. Today, State Theatre is the largest performing arts center in Central New Jersey and has welcomed over six million people through its doors since reopening as a non-profit performing arts center in 1988. The theatre will celebrate its 100th anniversary in December 2021.
