VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Cedric Derecho: Another theatre in Syracuse is currently closed but for a very different reason. The Landmark Theatre is under construction, hoping to return to its original appearance. Ryan Bell joins us live with an early update on the progress.
Ryan Bell: Yeah guys, behind me is one of the most historic buildings in Syracuse, The Landmark Theatre. Today, restoration is underway hoping to recapture its origninal look from opening day In 1928. The theatre announced the restoration of the 97-year-old building yesterday although they started the process about two week ago. Executive Director of the theatre Mike Intaglietta says now, they’re in full swing.
Mike Intaglietta: We’re restoring the balcony and the proscenium arch. That’s the arch that goes over the stage. That means getting us back to the original colors that the theater was painted in.
Ryan Bell: The project is an important milestone in Syracuse’s rich theatre culture that dates back more than a century. Architect Jamie Williams has been a big part of that, overseeing work at the landmark since the late 70s.
Jamie Williams: Restoring the landmark is restoring the history of downtown Syracuse and the history of its vibrant theatre tradition.
Ryan Bell: And it’s not just Syracuse residents appreciating the glory of the building. Over 150,000 people came to the theatre last season and they won’t have to wait too long for the restorations to be complete.
Mike Intaglietta: The people that work on this show, the people that attend it that are in theaters all across the country, always tell us how special this theater is. And we’re really trying to give it the, the glow up that it deserves going into, you know, in our almost our 100th year in 2028.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – The Syracuse Landmark Theatre has entered the next phase of its restoration process.
During the construction, crews will be repainting the proscenium arch, the balcony walls, balcony rail, and the ceiling to match the building’s original look from 1928. The theater announced the project on social media Wednesday, although they started the process two weeks ago.
Mike Intaglietta, the executive director of the landmark theatre, said returning the venue to its former glory is important to enhance the city’s rich theater culture.
“The people that work in the shows, the people that attend it, they’re in theaters all across the country, and they always tell us how special this theater is,” Intaglietta said.
The restoration comes as the theater approaches a major milestone.
“We’re really trying to give it the glow up that it deserves going into our 100th year in 2028,” Intaglietta said.
Jamie Williams, an architect on the project, has overseen work at the theater since 1978. To him, bringing back the original auditorium is a game changer.
“Restoring the Landmark is restoring the history of downtown Syracuse and the history of its vibrant theater tradition,” Williams said.
Last year, the theater hosted 163,000 guests. Luckily, theater-goers won’t have to wait long to get back inside as the construction is slated to finish in late August. The Landmark Theatre will reopen Sept. 9 when it debuts its new season with Hamilton.
This marks the first time the auditorium has been professionally restored in the history of the venue.