LANSDOWNE, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — The last time the Lansdowne Theater hosted guests was Independence Day 1987 for a showing of “Beverly Hills Cop II.” An electrical fire damaged the theater and the owner walked away, leaving it untouched for more than 35 years.
Now, tickets are available at the historic Delaware County theater, but not for movies on the silver screen. It is being converted into a live music venue.
Construction started in August 2023 and is expected to be completed by the fall of this year. The Historic Lansdowne Theater Corporation used grant money and donations from the community to transform the former movie theater into a state-of-the-art concert hall.
“The borough forgave some of the building permits, so that saved us money. The county has made a significant financial investment in the building, as has the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government,” said Matt Schultz, executive director of the Historic Lansdowne Theater Corporation.
The building, which opened in 1927, has old but strong bones, Schultz said. He is in charge of preserving its character, and he’s doing so by keeping some pieces intact, like the projection booth equipment.
“This is how they controlled all the lights in the theater, through this board,” he described. “It’s disconnected. We’re just going to keep it as a relic of the days that movies were shown here.”
Concertgoers can expect new seating that resembles the theater’s original chairs, a cash bar, and a stage that can support bands and their equipment.
“We’re going to extend the stage overtop of what was the orchestra pit,” he said. “When movies would be delivered to the theaters, sheet music would be delivered [too], so the organ would play along. We’re not sure how frequently they did it, but there would be a pit orchestra here of maybe four or five people playing along with the organ.”
The theater tested out the stage with a performance by a capella group Straight No Chaser. Schultz said the size of the venue made it an intimate show.
“I got to introduce them,” he said, “and when I stepped out on the stage and looked at this big auditorium, I felt like I was standing in my living room. Because when you have that many people, it just makes it tiny, which makes it a great place to see a show.”
The theater’s first official acts will be Hot Tuna, Don McLean, Will Downing and Southside Johnny in December.
Concertgoers can see the venue’s progress for themselves on April 13 at an open house from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the theater’s old ticket booth for $20.