Like the meticulously restored Kings Theatre which will celebrate its grand reopening tomorrow night, another classic Brooklyn theater will be returned to the public. Fort Greene's Paramount Theatre, which for the past half-century has been owned and operated as a sports complex by Long Island University, will be in part converted back to its original use as a performance venue, Brooklyn Daily reports. LIU and a Barclays Center affiliate have signed a deal to bring 1,500 seats back to the originally 4,000-seat venue on Flatbush and DeKalb avenues. The remaining space will continue to operate as a practice facility for Long Island University athletics. The theater's new programming will cater to musical and comedy performances, with an emphasis on emerging artists, and boxing matches.
The Paramount Theatre opened in 1928, and hosted acts like Frank Sinatra, Dizzy Gillespie, and Ella FItzgerald before it was snatched up by the university in 1950. DNAinfo reports that the theater is expected to host its first live events as early as next month.
· Historic Paramount Theatre Being Reopened As Entertainment Venue [DNA]
· Of Paramount importance: Flatbush Avenue theatre is reborn [BD]
· Scouting the Remains of Brooklyn's Incredible Paramount Movie Theatre [ScoutingNY]
· Paramount Theater archives [Curbed]