1927 Landmark Saenger Theatre to Reopen After Restoration

With less than two weeks before the highly-anticipated reopening of the historic Saenger Theatre, patrons will soon be getting a look inside the newly refurbished theatre. The Saenger Theatre was built in 1927 at the corner of Canal and North Rampart in downtown New Orleans and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The building was damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the iconic theatre has since been the focus of a $52 million redevelopment project led by the City of New Orleans, ACE Theatrical Group and the Canal Street Development Corporation.

The newly restored Saenger will feature:

• 6,787 light bulbs in exterior marquee signs
• 110 tons of steel in the new stage house
• 2,613 total audience seats
• 9 original chandeliers that were discovered at The French Antique Shop in New Orleans
• 4 large chandeliers weighing 750 pounds each
• New stage house floor measuring 589,056 cubic feet in volume
• 11 bars in the lobbies, arcade and VIP lounge
• 6 men's restrooms and 8 ladies' rooms featuring a total of 103 fixtures, increasing restroom capacity by 60%
• 5,612 yards of customized historically replicated carpet
• 658 fiber optic stars illuminating the auditorium ceiling, replicating the 2009 summer solstice sky in New Orleans
• 21,120 square feet of new lobby restroom and support space in the 1101 Canal Street building (formerly Popeyes)
• 85,000 pounds of rigging counterweight used to raise and lower scenery
• 87 dressing room stations

"The Saenger Theatre is the crown jewel of Canal Street," Mayor Mitch Landrieu said. "Combined with new state-of-the-art features and the authentic restoration to its original 1927 design, the new Saenger Theatre will redefine the live entertainment marketplace in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region. Audiences will be as amazed by the fully restored theatre's fine attention to detail as they are by the world class acts it will attract."

"Theatre patrons will be astounded to see the scope and complexity of the restoration project at the Saenger Theatre," said David Skinner, General Manager, Saenger Theatre. "It took the skills of a variety of artisans, engineers and experts to bring this historic theatre back to its glory."

"The renovation of the historic Saenger Theatre is a significant moment in the continued revitalization of the Canal Street corridor," said David Rubenstein, Chair of the Canal Street Development Corporation. "In partnership with the City of New Orleans and ACE Theatrical Group, we are fully restoring a cherished landmark that will once again serve as an important anchor that will spur growth and redevelopment along Canal Street and beyond."

For more information about the Saenger restoration, including programming and grand opening plans, specific performances and ticketing information, or to share your favorite memories of the theatre, visit www.saengernola.com. Be sure to "Like" The Saenger Theatre on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/saengernola or Tweet to @SaengerNOLA using the hashtag #SaengerStories.

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