“The biggest thing that people will notice when they walk into the main auditorium is the color,” said Robert Stansbery, who works with Walter Bolton Associates, the Biloxi architectural firm that oversaw the restoration. “The last time it was painted they used a dark burgundy with black-painted tiles on the ceiling. It was all dark colors. It was like walking into a tomb.
“Now the colors will jump out at you. The colors are real bright, rose colors, which are a stark contrast from what you saw before. In the past, even with the lights on, it was still dark. Now, with the reflective colors, you can easily see all around the room, even when there’s minimal lighting. In fact, it makes the room look bigger.” Theatergoers will notice green panels accentuating walls, with the ceiling displaying a sunset sky, with peaches, yellows and grays.
The seating in the theater will be improved over what patrons found in 1929. “The original seats were about 18 inches wide and were difficult to get in and out of,” Stansbery said. “Now, they average between 20 to 22 inches in width, and we added more space between rows so they’ll be even more comfortable and easier to get in and out of.”
As a result, the number of seats decreased from 1,100 to 935. A number of handicapped accessible seats have been added, with swing out arms to accommodate the physically handicapped.
In the lobby, patrons will notice a more functional concession area. “In recent years, you had to walk around the concession stand,” Stansbery said. “Now, you walk by it instead of around it. It doesn’t project out as much, which means there will be more space in the lobby.”
Two other features have been added to help improve the quality of performances: an elevated light and sound control booth at the rear of the main floor, and light gondolas on both sides of the main auditorium. In the past, lighting technicians had to climb ladders and negotiate crawl spaces to control stage spotlights.