Renovations Turn Plaza Theatre into Glasgow’s Crown Jewel
arts, charles honeycutt, culture, glasgow, plaza theatre, renovated, rhonda trautman,
Perhaps one of the most impressive gems in Glasgow’s crown is the Plaza Theatre. But this jewel has not always sparkled so.
In fact‚ the theater’s ascent from deterioration to grandeur didn’t begin until 2001 when the city bought it.
“Charles Honeycutt was mayor then. He had great foresight‚ and we owe him a lot for what he did‚” says Mayor Darrell Pickett. “The building just sat empty for several years before the purchase and would’ve continued to deteriorate if the city hadn’t bought it.”
The city undertook renovations that cost about $1.6 million. It relied on grants‚ corporate donations and local fund-raising efforts.
“The building is an historical asset for the community and a great attraction. It opened in the early 1930s and originally had 1‚200 seats. It was a movie theater‚ but also hosted live performances in its early years. Then it operated on and off as a live music venue until it closed in the early ‘90s‚” says Rhonda Trautman‚ Renaissance Main Street director.
“The Plaza brings back a lot of memories for a lot of people around here‚” Pickett says.
The theatre’s narrow façade is deceiving. Built on the natural slope of a hill‚ the interior expands and drops quickly. Inside‚ the space above the Plaza’s stage is the equivalent of a five-story building.
“Structurally it’s in excellent condition. It was the infrastructure in that needed modified or replaced. We modernized the plumbing and heating and cooling system. We added lighting and reupholstered the seats‚ but didn’t replace them‚” Pickett says.
Because of the renovations‚ the Plaza Theatre now seats about 1‚100 people. Even so‚ it’s still one of the largest venues in this part of Kentucky. Thanks to a good cleaning‚ the interior painting is more vibrant.
“The interior design replicates being in the middle of a Mediterranean street scene. It’s not a mural‚ but a 3-D build-out‚” Trautman says. “The ceiling was totally renovated‚ too. It has twinkling stars and two cloud machines that create clouds in the sky. You feel like you’re sitting outside.”
The refurbished Plaza Theatre opened in April 2005 with an inaugural concert featuring the Community Band. The theater’s auditorium was dedicated to the late Mayor Charles Honeycutt‚ Pickett says.
The city plans to use the theater to host live performances‚ classic movies and children’s matinees.
“It’s especially needed at nighttime. We need a lead attraction to help attract people to our downtown restaurants and other businesses‚ and we believe the Plaza Theatre will do that‚” Trautman says.
Story by Lisa R. Hooker
Photo by Stephen Cherry
