An iconic emblem of the historic Colonial Theatre has been restored — and revealed.
For far longer than anyone ever intended, the center of the 1903 theatre’s ceiling held an unsightly tarp. Its purpose: conceal the damaged medallion situated centrally above the venue’s 658 seats.
“We were digging in our files trying to figure out exactly when that tarp went up,” said Executive Director Jennifer Carlson. “No one’s really sure. What we do know is that it’s gone now. The medallion is back!”
Award-winning restoration and preservation artist Aaron Greene of Steuben County, New York-based A Greene Shop performed the painstaking work. At one point, Greene even created detailed replacement pieces.
“The challenge was that the medallion, in the center, was completely shattered,” said Greene. “I tried to consolidate it, but it fell apart as I wet it, which is the first step of the consolidation. So I had to re-glue all the pieces that fell off, as many of them as I could find, and then the rest I sculpted in plaster.”
His detailed handiwork is already appreciated by audiences who have, for too long, only known the 1903 theatre ceiling to hold a tarp. Now a bit of history has returned, and in vibrant form.
The Colonial Theatre is open Wednesday through Sunday. Visit the website for their dynamic slate of films, concerts, and events.
Learn more at the Colonial Theatre.
