Sign of things to come

The new Brick District Playhouse sign, modeled after the original theater sign, will be unveiled at an event starting at 7 p.m. Friday.
The new Brick District Playhouse sign, modeled after the original theater sign, will be unveiled at an event starting at 7 p.m. Friday.

The long awaited new sign at Fulton's Brick District Playhouse will be unveiled Friday at the Light Up The Bricks special event.

"Many years ago, people thought of the theater as a gem," said Brick District board member Debbie LaRue. "It's a statement telling the community that the Brick District Playhouse will become a gem of the community again."

The 1927 theater is being renovated by the Callaway Arts Council, a group that was created when the building was donated by the B&B Movie Company to the Fulton community. The renovation, according to LaRue, was the idea of Mayor Leroy Benton.

"About a year and a half ago, Mayor Benton approached the Brick District board with the idea of saving the theater," LaRue said. "We agreed that it could provide such a wonderful venue for the community to use for a number of reasons."

The idea was to return the theater to its former glory. The undertaking has required a big effort by members of the community to raise funds, said LaRue.

"It had been vacant for 10 years. Some progress had been made by the Callaway Arts Council, but as in many major projects, money was an issue," she said. "The community has been very generous; we're receiving donations from people who no longer live in the area, but remember and would like (the theater) restored."

After a significant amount of fundraising, the board made plans to add a restaurant to the theater lobby, which is currently open as the Playhouse Bistro Café. When the renovations are complete, the theater will host various events.

"We won't have movies, but we'll have concerts, recitals, comedy shows, plays and wedding receptions," LaRue said.

Friday's event will celebrate a milestone in the renovation, the installation and lighting of the brand new sign.

"We decided to replicate the sign from the past. Brian Mahieu designed the sign with input from the board, and we worked with Columbia Sign Service and worked with them to make the sign," LaRue said. "The entertainment is going to be enjoyable, and the mayor will be there to flip the switch."

According to LaRue, the event will be the first official event hosted by the theater. Attendees of the event will also be able to walk through the stage and see the renovation in progress.

"July 1 is going to be the first official event held at the playhouse," LaRue said. 

"It will be held outdoors, but people will be able to go through the inside."

She added the event will kick off the Fourth of July weekend in Fulton.

"We are patriotic around here," she said.

The event will be from 7-9 p.m. at the Brick District Playhouse, on Court Street between Sixth and Seventh streets.