For the first time during its four decades of hosting Broadway blockbusters, ballets, ballads and even speakers like Bill Gates, the Community Center Theater will go dark on June 5.
Closing for renovation and expansion, the roughly 2,400-seat theater is set to reopen Fall 2020 as part of the larger C3 Project, which brings improvements to two other mainstay venues in Sacramento — the Memorial Auditorium and Convention Center.
During the 16-month closure, all shows scheduled at the Community Center Theater will be relocated several blocks north at the recently renovated Memorial Auditorium.
Once it reopens, the theater will be home to a completely revamped experience for patrons.
Improvements like theatrical lighting, unique acoustic enhancements, additional food kiosks and a prominent L Street entrance will make shows look, sound and feel more vibrant.
“The enhancements will bring an energy and voice to events hosted at the new Community Center Theater in ways the aging facility never could,” said Ofelia Avalos, C3 Project manager. “I’m confident as soon as guests step inside the new space their eyes will light up, even before the show begins.”
Renovations also address a variety of structural issues, which include code requirements and operational needs that have changed in the building’s operations since 1976.
A bigger loading dock and storage rooms are some of the more notable improvements that will attract larger and more complex events to the Community Center Theater’s main stage.
Pardon the dust, please
To make room for the upcoming renovations, several areas around the Community Center Theater will be closed or modified to accommodate construction activity.
Commuters that use 15th or L Streets will notice several ongoing and temporary lane closures through Fall 2020 while pedestrians will need to be aware of their surroundings in close proximity to the building; many sidewalks directly adjacent will be closed with detours in place.
Bicyclists will also see some detours in the area.