Light Up The Queen!

World Cafe Live at the Queen Theater in Wilmington, Delaware

Last night was the first concert in the Queen theater which has been closed since the lights went out over 50 years years ago (April, 1959). 

The Queen was built in 1915 at a cost of $250,000.  The vast two-tier theater originally seated 2,000 people.

The Queen is an entire city block long with six floors.  Like World Cafe Live in Philadelphia, there are two stages:  "Upstairs" has a capacity of 150 seated and 250 standing room only; "Downstairs" has a capacity of 400 seated and 800 standing room only. 

The Queen also provides banquet facilities (yes, your child can have a birthday party at the Queen) and a studio for WXPN (well, of course), full service kitchens and who knows what else?!?

The renovation of the Queen theater has been estimated at over $25 million -  only possible through the help of partners who supported and funded the vision .  The premier partner is the "Light Up The Queen Foundation" which has been dedicated to the revival of the Queen Theater.

And those are the facts.  But the Queen is much more than facts.

We were privileged to be at the Queen for Ingrid Michaelson concert, which was standing room only and packed!  Although the balcony area was closed for a "grand opening" party given by Hal Real (Light up the Queen), we were fortunate enough to have had seats in the third row of the balcony (even though we weren't part of the party) that provided a breathtaking view of the theater.

The murals high on the wall to our right were painted almost 100 years ago.  That these murals are still there is a tribute to the kind of care that has been taken with this renovation.

I was speechless (and a little teary, I admit) at the beauty of this theater.  The workmanship on the marble and the plaster and every surface is awe inspiring.  The railings - the work on the ceilings - the moldings - the front of the balcony - just everywhere. 

The concert began an hour after the scheduled start, but we really didn't mind.  There was so much to see!

This theater has its own personality that it's carried with it for almost 100 years and it's palpable.  You can feel it all around you. 

I think that in the future when going to events at the Queen, I'll make a concerted effort (no pun intended) to get there early - to drink in the majesty of the old theater - to let her 100 year history wrap itself around me - to feel the life and breath in the walls and the stage.

Music at the Queen!  What could be better???

Long live the Queen!