Spotlight on: The Paramount Theatre

The Paramount Theatre celebrates its 90th anniversary with a star-studded season and recognition as the "Best Theatre in Austin," as voted by readers of The Austin Chronicle.

Through the years the theatre has been home to vaudeville, silent movies and "talkies," musical acts, dance performances and Broadway shows and now also serves as a historic meeting venue for groups.

The theatre opened in 1915 as a vaudeville house under the name of the Majestic Theatre. The 1930s brought an extensive remodeling project and its reopening as the Paramount. By the early 1970s, the building was in disrepair, resulting in a restoration project that returned the building to its original grandeur. In 1987, the Paramount earned its place in the National Register of Historic Places. Summer 2004 brought another remodel, this time to the backstage.

Highlights of the anniversary season, which runs through June 2006, include the "Legends Series" with performances by silver screen greats such as Debbie Reynolds and Lily Tomlin, diverse comedy acts as part of the "The Last Word Series" featuring Paul Rodriguez and David Sedaris, and world-class dance, musical and children's productions.

The entire theatre, which seats 1,300, is available for rent and provides an elegant atmosphere for events. The lobbies offer smaller function space, with the ground floor foyer accommodating 70-100 people and the mezzanine lobby providing space for 70. The Paramount also organizes VIP parties on the mezzanine level where guests may attend a reception in conjunction with a show. Group ticket discounts for the season are available, as are backstage group tours.

Located at 713 Congress Ave., the theatre is a must-see Austin landmark. Contact Marc Rendon at 512-692-0507 or mrendon@austintheatre.org for pricing and visit www.austintheatrealliance.org for more information.

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Paramount Theatre