The bandages are coming off and The Moore Theatre is showing off its new facelift. From the outside it may not look like much, but the extravagant interior has become a Seattle icon. For music and history enthusiasts alike, this is an exciting moment for Seattle.
The Moore Theatre is 106 years old, built in 1906 and is the oldest existing entertainment venue in Seattle. Now placed on the National Register of Historic Places, this theatre has been through a lot, and needs of support to keep it in good condition.
The last remodel of The Moore was in 1975. Since then, it had been renamed “Moore Egyptian” movie theatre, making it the ancestor of The Egyptian Theatre on Capitol Hill. The Moore was even the original home of the Seattle International Film Festival.
According to Broadway World, this theatre has hosted legendary local artists such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and Mudhoney. If artists of this caliber are expected to return to the theatre, The Moore needs to step up its game and appearance.
If you’re skimming through Seattle Weekly, you will notice the first ads lists the anticipated upgrades in the Forever Moore campaign. The theatre is due to have all 1,800 seats upgraded, replace chipping paint and plaster, improve heating system, and upgrade the curtaining.
After the makeover on the theatre, doors opened on Sept. 27 and kick started with Mavis Staples. It will later host Dave Chappelle on Oct.1.
The only problem appears to be the seats.
The Seattle Theatre Group (STG) reports that the new seats have not arrived; yet the temporary seating is still better than what was in place before. The STG website claims “The seats are bigger, rows are wider and overall comfort has been enhanced.”
A theatre as old as The Moore knows the saying “the show must go on”, so without any hesitation the opening was not postponed due to the seat fiasco.
Luckily the repairs to the entire theatre weren’t depending heavily on the seats. Other very noticeable changes have gone through, bringing the theatre back to life. The improvements that have been implemented, according to STG are “Repaired plaster, fresh paint, new carpet and enhanced heating.”
One of the problems with the delayed seats could be the lack of money raised in fundraisers. Renovations were paid for with donations, and the reported fundraising goal was $800,000; yet the amount raised has only reached $727, 750.
