The Lansdowne Theater is coming out of decades of darkness, opening this fall as a concert venue, writes Conner Barkon for KYW Newsradio. 

The Historic Lansdowne Theater Corporation used grant money and community donations to renovate and restore the theater for use as a state-of-the-art concert hall.

Construction started on the new facility in August 2023.

Open house tours are scheduled April 13, 10 AM to 1 PM, for those who want to see how renovations are progressing. Tickets are available at the theater’s ticket booth for a $20 donation.

The 1927 theater building closed in 1987 after an electrical fire.

“The borough forgave some of the building permits, so that saved us money. The county has made a significant financial investment in the building, as has the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government,” said HLTC Executive Director Matt Schultz,

Schultz described the building as having “old but strong bones.” 

An effort was made to preserve the theater’s character, including keeping some original pieces intact, like the projection booth equipment.

The theater’s first official acts will be Hot Tuna, Don McLean, Will Downing and Southside Johnny in December.

Read more about the opening and get show and ticket information at KYW Newsradio.