The Sandusky State Theatre

PAUSED FOR INTERMISSION

SINCE 1928

FOR NEARLY A CENTURY...

The Sandusky State Theatre has been a place on the Lake Erie shore for locals and visitors alike to come together to experience the power of the performing arts and enjoy special events as a community.

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Photo showing in ceiling ornament inside damage Theatre

Image showing collapsed decorated roof into Theatre

Image showing intact ceiling ornament and open cloudy sky behind it

Image showing front of State Theatre with inspirational message

Wednesday
June 10, 2020

Neighbors gathered at the Theatre to take in a very different sight. A storm with winds of over 55 miles per hour had blown the roof off the building, collapsed the auditorium ceiling, and destroyed the stage and seating areas. Although the damage was devastating, the catastrophe brought Erie County residents together to imagine a brighter future for the Theatre and the region.

Image showing corner foundation being built up

Image showing repairs of the inside of the Theatre

Image of Ornate balcony decorations being restored

Image showing new modern building frame being attached

Community
Restoration

With the enthusiasm and support of our community, a plan has been developed to not only rebuild the Theatre, but to expand and improve it. The 2020 storm could have condemned the Sandusky State Theatre to close forever. But thanks to the stewardship of our community, what began as a disaster became an opportunity. With the support of visionary leaders and generous donors, the Theatre will soon welcome audiences and performers back with its combination of historic beauty and modern features.

Digital Rendering of Main Auditorium Seating

Digital Rendering of Main Auditorium Stage

It's time to raise the curtain on a new era

FAQs

We are happy to report that the 1928 Page Organ and chandelier were salvaged. The organ pipes were destroyed in the storm, but we were able to acquire a pipe set shortly after the storm. The organ will play again. While the four murals on either side of the stage were beyond repair, new murals will be painted that pay homage to their predecessors and blend with the new interior design of the auditorium.

We will set an opening date once structural construction is complete.

The Theatre will host all the same kinds of shows audiences enjoyed before the storm, and more! The expansion and renovation will allow us to host more Broadway National Tours, large scale concerts in the main auditorium, as well as intimate recitals, jazz concerts, comedy, and other shows in our new second venue.

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Talk to a Sandusky State Theatre staff member.

(419) 626-1950

Address

The Sandusky State Theatre
107 Columbus Avenue
Sandusky, OH 44870

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"It’s sad to see our building fallen down. One day I was walking around the corner and I looked up, and the chandelier was lit up. I was seeing it from the outside, and that just should not be happening. But I looked at it and I knew it was a beacon of hope. I knew that we were going to open again. I knew that the chandelier would be lit up, and for all of us to see. I cannot wait for the curtain to rise again, for that chandelier to be bright and glistening for an auditorium full of people."

Sheryl Conner • Business Manager, The Sandusky State Theatre

"You see so many of these old theatres that don’t make it and they get torn down, and the community’s outpouring the night of the storm made it so evident that we had to do everything we could to save the Theatre and have it for future generations."

Chris Parthemore • Executive Director, The Sandusky State Theatre

"Everybody I know has a memory of their first show coming to the State Theatre. And so when we preserve this building, we’re not only preserving a space where arts and culture can happen, but we’re preserving the memories of generations of Sanduskians who have come to love arts and culture through this very building."

Eric Wobser • CEO, Greater Sandusky Partnership

Eric Wobser speaking in front of The Sandusky State Theatre

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Follow Our Progress

We are sharing regular progress updates on construction, sneak peeks of what will be included in the renovated theatre upon its reopening, and so much more!