New Haven's long-shuttered Palace and Roger Sherman Theater will reopen this spring as a music hall.
The venue, located across the street from the Shubert Theater, opened in 1926 as The Roger Sherman, a lavish theater, complete with stucco gargoyles and an ornate ceiling.
In 1984, the hall transformed into the Palace Theater, a music venue that brought in top acts like B.B. King and Bob Dylan. Since the early 2000s, the space has been shuttered.
Now the city has announced the theater will reopen as College Street Music Hall, and much like the old Palace, it will bring in a wide range of touring acts and comedians. The theater has a 2,000 seat capacity, which will attract prominent musicians to perform in New Haven, according to Premiere Concerts, who will book acts for the new music hall.
New Haven's Economic Development Administrator Matthew Nemerson is convinced the venue will be an economic boon to the city and downtown businesses. "It's simple arithmetic," he said. "If it can hold 2,000 people, and it will probably have shows three, four, five times a week, and if they just have a drink, or have dinner, we're talking $5 or $10 million coming into the city directly."
The announcement of the theater's reopening comes just days after another link to New Haven's past on the same block. The storied Anchor Bar closed its doors after 75 years.
Matthew Nemerson said Yale University Properties, which owns the building, has agreed to hold off on plans to demolish the art deco facade of the Anchor for 90 days while the city finds a new owner willing to maintain the facade.
Did you see a vaudeville show or go to the movies at the Roger Sherman? Did you see a great act at The Palace? Please share your stories in the comments below.
