February 4, 2015 – Following a two-year, $95-million renovation, a celebrated 1920s movie palace reopened Tuesday in the Flatbush neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. Diana Ross’ opening night performance in the 3,200-seat Kings Theatre was sold out.
With gilded décor inspired by the Palace of Versailles and the Paris Opera House, the theater first opened just weeks before the Wall Street crash of 1929. It was one of five Loew’s “wonder theatres” built in New York and New Jersey. The Kings had deteriorated over the decades due to neglect and damage by vandals. The theatrical group behind the restoration sought to bring back the original art deco elements while incorporating newer technological innovations such as computerized sound and LED lighting.
Link: SeattleTimes
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