Tony Bennett reopened The Paramount Theater after some of its darkest days – 30 years of sitting dark and forgotten. While our Stage is dark right now, we KNOW the arts are important to our community, and The Paramount will continue to be a gathering place for Charlottesville again soon. For each day that we are dark during this public health crisis, we will post photos from past events as part of our “Blast From the Past” campaign. We encourage you to share your memories as we patiently wait for the magic to return. In the meantime, our Blade and Marquee still shine brightly, ready to welcome you back to your community Theater!
After performing at The Paramount’s grand reopening in 2004, Charlottesville’s second favorite Tony Bennett returned to the stage in 2016.
Both performances were that of which dreams are made. Performing to a sold-out audience both times (1,000+ seats filled), Mr. Bennett put down his microphone at the end of his performance and just sang. It was almost as if time stood still, and there was no greater gift of music than what Paramount patrons were experiencing in that moment.
The Paramount’s Director of Marketing, Maran Garland, recalls a fun memory from that night. Upon wrapping up the stage remarks before the performance, she and Executive Director Chris Eure exited the stage – and nearly bumped right into Mr. Bennett! They didn’t think he’d be backstage, but plans had changed. “We were able to quickly say, ‘Welcome to The Paramount,’” Maran shared. “And with a smile and a wink, he continued up the steps and took to the stage, while we watched in awe. It was a moment I personally will never forget.”
While we are diligently working to reschedule many of our spring events, which contribute significantly toward our yearly operating budget, we know we will suffer a devastating loss of revenue as a local nonprofit theater. Please consider making a donation to The Paramount.
Photo by Rob Garland Photographers
