The Canton Palace Theatre, a cherished regional performance venue located in downtown Canton, has announced an ambitious $16 million capital project, aptly named the 100th Anniversary Project. This transformative endeavor aims to expand and improve the beloved theatre while addressing existing facility challenges. The project’s goal is to enhance functionality and accessibility, ensuring that a larger number of patrons can enjoy live performances and movies for generations to come. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Canton Palace Theatre is committed to preserving its architectural integrity and collaborating with partners to provide cultural, entertainment, and educational experiences for the community.
Expressing her excitement, Georgia Paxos, the Executive Director of the Canton Palace Theatre, emphasized the significance of the project. “By addressing the needs of our patrons and customers, this project will position the Canton Palace Theatre as a leading historic entertainment venue in Northeast Ohio. Not only will it expand our footprint, but it will also have a positive economic impact on our community.”
The key objectives of the 100th Anniversary Project include expanding the current stage to accommodate larger live events, adding a secondary lobby to provide additional concession and refreshment locations, introducing premium seating closer to the stage, installing an elevator for accessible seating in the balcony, constructing additional restrooms on both floors, establishing a permanent loading dock area for show setup, and creating more dressing rooms for performers.
This ambitious project will significantly impact the local community, offering numerous benefits to its residents. With improved accessibility and expanded functional spaces, the Canton Palace Theatre will be able to host a wider range of events and extend rental opportunities to other organizations. Paxos emphasized the importance of these enhancements, stating, “Once completed, we are thrilled to continue hosting and presenting the diverse programming we are known for in an expanded facility with more amenities for our supportive community.”
To ensure the highest standards in theater construction and expansion projects, the Canton Palace Theatre has partnered with Stages Consulting, a world-renowned theater and acoustics design consultancy based in Highland Park, New Jersey. Additionally, the expertise of Motter & Meadows Architects and the construction management services of Fred Olivieri Construction Company will be utilized throughout the project.
While embarking on this transformative expansion, the Canton Palace Theatre remains dedicated to fostering community spirit, honoring its rich history, and hosting a wide array of cultural and artistic events for years to come.
The monumental initiative will unfold through a multi-phase fundraising and construction process. The Canton Palace Theatre encourages all those interested in the 100th Anniversary project to visit www.cantonpalace100.com for more information and updates on the project’s progress.