The Mellow Theatre, Scranton, PA
Posted by: 
EEKJeep
N 41° 24.680 W 075° 39.551
18T E 444907 N 4584630
Quick Description: Beautiful restored theatre in Scranton PA's old Central High School, now Lackawanna College.
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 5/14/2007 5:26:28 PM
Waymark Code: WM1HWG
Views: 173
Long Description:Lackawanna College has brought life back to one of the
architectural and cultural gems of the region by restoring the
elegant auditorium on its main campus in downtown Scranton. The
theater, which dates to 1923, had a distinguished history. Blessed
with fine acoustics and enhanced by lavish decor, it was the scene
of concerts, operas and musicals and home to a variety of world
famous performers such as Sergei Rachmaninoff, Marian Anderson,
John Phillip Sousa and Allan Jones in its early years. The facility
had ceased serving as a concert hall by the mid-1940's and had been
vacant since 1991.
Lackawanna College found the auditorium in very poor condition
with extensive plaster and water damage. The electrical, heating
and ventilating systems were useless. The College undertook an
extensive rejuvenation of the house to bring it back to the state
of its glory days. The theater's ornamentation was carefully
refurbished and repainted, and then highlighted with gold leafing.
The leaded glass windows and exit signs were removed and sent out
for expert restoration. Plush seats were installed with leg room
greatly increased. The stage was extended over four feet. The
theater's capacity was reduced to approximately 1000 in the
orchestra and balcony.
Renamed the Mellow Theater in honor of distinguished alumnus,
Sen. Robert Mellow, the facility reopened on March 2, 1999, with a
chamber orchestra concert. The theater, its decor and acoustics
were lavishly praised by the community and the local media.
Children's theater, choral groups, dance companies, public
hearings, dramatic productions, popular and classical concerts,
individual recitals and variety shows have all been featured in the
theater since it reopened.
Lackawanna College utilizes the facility for institutional
purposes such as graduation, assemblies and lectures. The theater
is also used for community activities and by local arts
organizations. The college views the theater as contributing
significantly to its educational mission. It aids the college's
students in the study of the dramatic arts and introduces them to
the richness of arts literature and tradition. In addition, the
theater will help foster the growth and expansion of existing area
cultural and arts groups and encourage the creation of new, vibrant
organizations, thereby expanding cultural opportunities for
community residents. Lackawanna College is developing a dramatic
arts degree program and an arts academy utilizing the Mellow
Theater.