ROANOKE, Va. – Roanoke’s very own Grandin Theatre turns 90 this year.
The Grandin Theatre Foundation plans to celebrate with the third phase of its Heart of the Main Campaign.
The campaign will help raise the funds needed to upgrade the Main Theatre. This includes a new grand drape, screen and stage lighting.
The estimated cost for the upgrade is $350,000, and they’re about 60% complete by private fundraisers.
So far, campaign money has allowed upgrades for house lighting, the installation of new seating, and improvements to auditorium acoustics.
The campaign’s final act will allow them to install a new dramatic signature curtain and motorized screen. In addition, they’ll add new stage lighting and greatly enhance the sound capabilities to accommodate speakers, musicians, dance, and more.
“We’ll never stop being a movie theater,” stated Ian Fortier, Executive Director of the Grandin Theatre Foundation. “That’s our identity, but there is plenty of time when the Grandin has space available in this room when the community can be using it in a more diversified programmatic way.”
The theatre is now looking to the public for help meeting the campaign goal, which they anticipate will be reached by the end of summer.
Donations are being collected at the theatre, located at 1310 Grandin Road, SW in Roanoke.
They can also be made online.