Brooklyn’s stunning gilded Paramount Theatre will be revamped and brought back to its former glory, reopening soon as a major entertainment venue–and it kicks off its grand opening season on Wednesday, March 27th!
The Paramount made its grand debut almost a century ago in 1928, operating as both a movie theater and music venue. The theater introduced the borough to jazz and served as an early home of Rock n’ Roll, with legendary performers taking the stage from the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Frank Sinatra, and Buddy Holly.
Long Island University took ownership of the venue in 1962, however, converting it to a gym, removing the stage, and converting upstairs offices into academic spaces.
Now, the theater is on track to reopen this March as the LIU Brooklyn Paramount Theatre at 385 Flatbush Avenue Extension–an opening which is five years in the making.
The multi-million-dollar redesign honors the building’s nearly 100-year history while creating a new 2,700 capacity music venue in hopes that it will help to bring more shows to Brooklyn’s growing music scene.
Renovations were designed, of course, with musicians in mind. The restored venue will now house a grand stage and a cutting-edge backstage area that includes a game room, gym, and art installations from local artists.
Tickets to more than 45 shows are already on sale including PinkPantheress, Norah Jones, Mariah The Scientist, and Brooklyn native Busta Rhymes–with more acts to be announced in the coming weeks.
Though Brooklyn Paramount Theatre will mostly host musical events, it’ll also host some comedy shows, sporting events, special events, private programs, community events, and more.
Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso stated:
The reopening of the historic Brooklyn Paramount is the latest sign that Brooklyn’s art scene is thriving. I applaud Live Nation for renovating this historic venue where New Yorkers can enjoy the hottest performers right here in Brooklyn. This reopening demonstrates that New York City does not need to reinvent the wheel to bring entertainment and good-paying jobs to our city. I am glad to see the Brooklyn Paramount back, and I look forward to seeing a performance there in the future!”
You can learn more on Brooklyn Paramount’s website here.