Inside Akron Civic Theatre's Upgrades

Akron Civic Theatre is getting a makeover for its 90th birthday — but officials are asking for a little help from the public to complete the restoration of the Jewel on Main Street. Built as a Loew’s theater in 1929, the space, with its signature starry sky, is one of only a few remaining atmospheric theaters by famed designer John Eberson. Today, the concert and performing arts venue is the Akron art scene’s bedrock, hosting such diverse acts as Devo and The Black Keys, Fiddler on the Roof and other Broadway hits, and even a game show in May. But now, the historic space needs some upgrades. A $20 million project in the early 2000s modernized the building but neglected its Moorish grand lobby. As downtown Akron undergoes a revitalization through a redeveloped Main Street and a new $42 million, 100-unit mixed-use complex, theater officials are ready to lift the curtain on the theater’s next phase of renovations.

“All of this is going to combine to be part of a transformation of downtown,” says Akron Civic Theatre executive director Howard Parr. “It’s a 20-year overnight success story.” The project, which is already underway and expected to be finished by 2020, completes the interior restoration of the lobby and arcade but goes much further. Most notably, the neighboring Whitelaw building will become a 200-person event space and new outdoor decks will overlook Lock 3 and 4. 

Along with $675,000 from the state, Akron corporations and foundations added $7 million to a $8.5 million capital campaign. Parr and company want individual donors to chip in the last $1.5 million. To hit that mark, they’re anticipating 1,000 total gifts by the end of 2019. To date, they’ve received 300. These funds help complete the project and shore up the theater’s endowment for future maintenance and upkeep.

While indoor renovations are exciting, Parr says the addition of two outdoor murals, one facing Bowery Street and one facing Main Street, plus a new 15-by-30-foot video monitor that lights up Lock 3, will have the biggest impact on those who live, play and work in downtown Akron. 

“For the first time,” Parr says, “we’re going to make the outside of the theater as much of an asset as the inside of the theater.”