Newswise — The newly renovated Majestic Theater will celebrate its grand reopening on the theater's 80th anniversary with a black-tie gala Nov. 14 featuring appearances by Gettysburg College alum Carson Kressley of "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" and Tony award-winning actress Elaine Stritch.
The gala begins at 7 p.m. and will celebrate the historic $16-million restoration project that has transformed the Majestic Theater into a performing arts and cinema center for Gettysburg College and the Gettysburg community. Writer and broadcaster Jamie Bernstein Thomas, daughter of composer Leonard Bernstein, will host the event, which will include music by a 35-piece Broadway orchestra and 50-voice chorus performing the music of Gershwin, Sondheim, Schwartz and Bernstein under the direction of Charles Prince. The evening will also include a sneak peak of Frank Wildhorn's Civil War musical, "For the Glory," which will open exclusively at the Majestic in summer 2006.
"The Majestic Theater's first opening night featured Cecil B. DeMille's cinematic extravaganza, The Road to Yesterday. Who would have guessed 80 years ago that the theater's 'road to the future' would lead to this dazzling renovation?" Founding Executive Director of the Majestic Theater Jeffrey Gabel said. "To paraphrase Gloria Swanson's famous exit line from Sunset Boulevard, 'Alright Mr. DeMille, the Majestic is ready for its close-up,'" Gabel said.
Numerous celebrities from Broadway to Hollywood will be performing at this event, including Tony, Grammy and Academy award-winning composer Stephen Schwartz, actors Gregg Edelman (Spiderman 2) and Jason Danieley, Tony-award winning singers Debbie Gravitte and Marin Mazzie, best known for their performances in "Phantom of the Opera," "Ragtime" and Jerome Robbin's "Broadway."
"We are thrilled to celebrate the rising of the curtain of this wonderful cultural icon, and we look forward to many years of exciting entertainment within its doors," Gettysburg College President Katherine Haley Will said. "The reopening of the Majestic marks the culmination of an extraordinary effort by the community, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the College," Will said.
The 850-seat auditorium, two cinemas, an art gallery and café will welcome the world stage to the grandest small-town theater in America. The premiere season features Broadway shows, national and international performing artists in drama, comedy, music, dance and a variety of special events. Performers will include the Vienna Choir Boys, Bonnie Rideout's "A Scottish Christmas," Stars of the Peking Acrobats and Philadanco.
The Majestic complex also served as the setting for President Dwight D. Eisenhower_s press conferences in the 1950s when the Eisenhowers stayed at their Gettysburg home. First Lady Mamie Eisenhower_s birthday coincides with the theater's 80th anniversary and on Nov. 14, 1955, she was greeted outside the theater after a press conference by a large delegation of local residents singing, "Happy Birthday." The new Mamie_s Café in the theater complex is named after her.
Additional events are scheduled throughout the week of the grand reopening:* The Majestic will present "Bless This House," a performance celebrating the theater_s reopening with more than 150 College and community performers, Nov. 17 and 18 at 8 p.m.;* University of Virginia history Prof. Gary W. Gallagher will present the 44th Annual Robert Fortenbaugh Memorial Lecture Nov. 19 at 8 p.m.; and* A community open house will take place on Nov. 20 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. featuring behind-the-scenes tours of the stage, cinemas, box office, art gallery and café.
The lecture and open house are open to the public at no charge and do not require tickets. Ticket information about performances mentioned above, including Nov. 14, 17 and 18, is available at http://www.gettysburgmajestic.org or by calling the box office at 717-337-8200.
The Majestic Theater Performing Arts & Cinema Center is owned and operated by Gettysburg College in partnership with the Greater Adams County Community.
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