PRINCESS THEATRE - Raising the Curtain: THEY GOT NUTTIN’ ON THE PRINCESS!

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

THEY GOT NUTTIN’ ON THE PRINCESS!


Ashville’s “Fine Arts Theatre” is an Art Deco style theatre that is the only theatre left operating in downtown Asheville. It originally opened as the “Strand Theatre” and had a seating capacity of 800 in orchestra and balcony.

Today it survives as a double screen theater showing first run American, foreign, and independent films. The theater now only seats 250, for the up and downstairs small screens. It is also the home of the Asheville Film Festival held in November of each year.

The building itself is a cream color with two sets of block glass running from the top of the building down to the marquee on each side. It has a small triangle-shaped marquee with the theatre name in neon on each side.

Gary and I visited the theater this past Saturday and met a very welcoming staff that was more than willing to talk about their lovely theater. We toured both levels of the theater, and I couldn’t help but think how much more room and seating (900) there will be in the Princess Theater once it’s restored. However, I would love to attend a film at the Fine Art’s Theatre sometime. I hear the projection and sound equipment is top-notch, and they do serve alcohol!

We also attended a concert by movie actor Jeff Daniels at the ultra-modern “Diana Wortham Theatre” later that same evening. This theater is a modern 500 seat proscenium theatre built in 1991. It is contained within Pack Place, a cultural center located in the heart of Asheville's beautiful downtown area. (I apologize for the quality of photos used here, but I only had my pocket camera.)

The Diana Wortham Theatre is perfect for stage and music productions requiring a small intimate venue with all the modern amenities and equipment. The floor seats 352, and the balcony seats 142, but all seats seem very close to the performances. Everything in the theater has the patron in mind; from the large clean restrooms, to the easy elevator ride between floors, to the conveniently located lavation bar in the downstairs lobby.

Still…I couldn’t help but think about what we will have in our Princess and how they got nuttin’ on us.

Now…if that money would just come through we could get started!

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