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New Life at the State Theatre
posted by
mamahootie
on
August 9, 2006 at 4:37 am
SOUTH BEND, IN — The State Theatre has been purchased and is currently being renovated to become a cultural arts center for concerts, conferences, performances and more.
The new owner, Lester Sumrall, grandson of the late television evangelist Dr. Lester Sumrall is at the forefront of the endeavor. Updates, photos and information can be viewed on the State’s website.
Sumrall is campaigning to raise at least $500,000 for the renovations and will be having an estate sale at this year’s ArtBeat Festival on September 7th from 2:00 pm to 8:00pm. The sale will have many items including a vintage radio collection and movie memorabilia as well as bar equipment and decor from when the theater was a nightclub. Money raised will go toward the $500,000 goal. There’s also a donation button on the website.
In addition to being able to bid on these great items, people will be able to walk through a theater that has been closed for 19 years minus its short-lived days as a nightclub and bar. Stories, photos and memories of the State will be collected online and during the sale to be published in a book about the theater’s rich history. Book sales will also go toward the renovation goal.
