Rejoice, Austinites! The Paramount Theatre is getting new seats and much, much more in a $55 million restoration project that is expected to finish in 2027.
The Austin Theatre Alliance announced the project on Wednesday, hoping to drum up donations to foot the bill for upgraded restrooms, improved ADA access, expanded and upgraded concessions, an assisted listening system, and new sound and lighting features at the Paramount. The group is also looking to raise an additional $10 million for an endowment.
The State Theatre next door will be completely made over, with a stunning staircase in its entryway, more bathrooms, 150 new seats, a new lounge space and more.
Paramount Theatre will shut down in June 2026 and won’t reopen until April 1 the following year.
“We’re going to miss one South by Southwest in (2027),” said Jim Ritts, Austin Theatre Alliance CEO.
But the State Theatre will serve as the Paramount’s replacement while it’s closed, he said. The State Theatre will close in July 2027 and reopen in November 2028.
The Paramount Plan
The restoration project, which has already received roughly $27.4 million in pledged donations, is the theater’s first in over 50 years, Ritts said. Paramount Theatre is more than 100 years old, opening for the first time in 1915 as the Majestic Theatre. The State Theatre opened in 1935.
The Paramount has hosted everyone: Harry Houdini, Dolly Parton, Dr. Maya Angelou, former President Barack Obama, Katharine Hepburn, and so many more.
Over the years, the ceilings and walls in the Paramount have become dull and faded, partially because of cigarette smoke, Ritts said. Restoration work to brighten and clean up with walls and ceilings have already begun in an effort to bring the Paramount back to its 1930s “gorgeous-osity,” he said.
Parts of Paramount Theatre’s south-facing wall have already been cleaned up. (Rachel Parker)
New seating is also part of the plan, and when Ritts announced that during a Thursday news conference, the crowd clapped. (The seats at the Paramount are notoriously a bit uncomfortable and cramped.)
“Normally, I get a ‘hallelujah’ and that sort of thing when I say that,” Ritts said.
While the design of the new seats won’t be decided and announced until next month, Ritts told City Cast Austin that they will come with cup holders on their backs, and will be a bit wider than they are right now. It’s the first time the chairs will be updated since the late ‘70s, he said.
Additionally, officials will construct an upper lounge and concession area, completing plans found in a 1915 blueprint for the theatre.
The State Theatre Plan
The State Theatre next door to the Paramount will be unrecognizable, save for its front facade, when it reopens in 2028.
The theater currently has 300 seats, one bar, and two restrooms. The revamped version will have 450 seats, some of which will be retractable, and some cabaret-style seating. A speakeasy basement, a bar on top of the theater, lounges on every level, and tripled bathroom capacity are part of the makeover, too.
An elevator that can drop off guests inside both the Paramount and State will be installed in the State Theatre, allowing the Paramount to keep its historical designation.
“We’re really excited about all of the things,” Ritts said.
A rendering of the State Theatre’s new lobby. (Clayton Korte)
