The Paramount Theatre
- Address for The Paramount Theatre
- 911 Pine Street Seattle, WA 98101
- Phone Number for The Paramount Theatre
- (888) 451-4042
Overview
Seattle’s Paramount Theatre has enjoyed a long and storied history, beginning with its grand opening as the Seattle Theatre in March of 1928.
Residents and visitors alike have been entertained at the magnificent theatre and millions have delighted in the theatre’s architectural majesty, viewed countless films, and enjoyed thousands of performers from all corners of the globe.
Seattle’s Most Opulent Movie Palace
During the “Roaring Twenties,” particularly before the first “talkies” were invented in 1927, vaudeville and silent movies were the dominant form of national and local entertainment. Seattle alone had more than 50 movie palaces, the finest grouped together on 2nd Avenue.
On March 1, 1928, the Seattle Theatre opened. The Seattle Times heralded the occasion with enthusiasm:
“Never has such a magnificent cathedral of entertainment been given over to the public. Indescribable beauty! Incomparable art! The stage productions will be of the most lavish design, brilliant in their lighting effects and gorgeous in their settings.”
The grand opening was a huge success, garnering in an era of silent films, ‘talkies’ and even surviving The Great Depression to entertain all of Seattle. Fast-forward over 85 years later, and Seattle’s Paramount Theatre has undergone many transformations over the decades, from opulent silent movie palace, to vaudevillian performance hall, Cinerama format movie house, Broadway theatre performances and rock, soul and jazz concerts.
A New Era for The Paramount
After years of financial difficulty throughout the 80’s and early 90’s, determined to restore the theatre to its former glory, Ida Cole, a former Microsoft vice-president, purchased the theatre and re-established the non-profit Seattle Landmark Association (now Seattle Theatre Group®). An 8-month renovation included a stage expansion, plaster and gold leaf restoration, chandelier cleaning, state-of-the-art sound and lighting, and extension of the back wall to accommodate new load-in, new dressing rooms, and increased electrical capacity.
In March of 1995, The Paramount re-opened to become, as Ida put it, a “kissable” building, where “everyone was welcome and felt comfortable; the people’s theatre.” Miss Saigon was the first presentation, celebrating the return of Broadway to the theatre. Later, a convertible seating system would be installed in the main auditorium to accommodate more contemporary uses such as runway, corporate events, and large general admission concerts.
In 2002, Ida Cole transferred ownership of The Paramount to the non-profit Seattle Theatre Group® (STG), the new name for the Seattle Landmark Association.
The Paramount Theatre Today
The Paramount is a thriving landmark theatre. An annual season of Broadway at The Paramount season accompanies a performance series of dance, jazz, live concerts, speakers, comedy, special events, and family shows. The Silent Movie Mondays Series draws thousands to experience a taste of the past accompanied by the original Mighty Wurlitzer Organ. A Theatre Access Program grants tickets to individuals and organizations without the means to attend theatre, and robust Education and Community Programs provide vital professional arts interactions for young and emerging artists.
Continuing to serve the original vision that Ida Cole had for The Paramount, the Seattle Theatre Group® has continued stewardship of the theatre. Additionally, STG operates and maintains the historic Moore and Neptune Theatres.
Seating
- Selects this section on the seating chart: Mezzanine 3,
- Selects this section on the seating chart: Mezzanine 2,
- Selects this section on the seating chart: Mezzanine 1,
- Selects this section on the seating chart: Loge,
- Selects this section on the seating chart: Orchestra,
- Selects this section on the seating chart: Accessible Seating,
Accessibility
Broadway at The Paramount has an ongoing commitment to building new audiences and making theatre accessible for all patrons. During each season, Broadway at The Paramount offers American Sign Language, Open Captioned, and Audio Described performances for most productions at The Paramount Theatre. Accessible seating can be found on Ticketmaster when purchasing your tickets. Please note, only season tickets are currently available. Individual ticket on sales will be announced shortly.
Open Captioning is a form of accessibility for the deaf and hard of hearing population in the United States. The c2net.org website describes Open Captioning as “text displayed simultaneous to live speech, dialogue or performance”. This technology is now utilized by theaters nationwide. It provides hearing impaired patrons with the complete script and song text for live performances on small screens directly adjacent to audience seating. For more comprehensive information on Open Captioning visit c2net.org.
Audio description is a live narration of the visual aspects of the performance broadcasted to visually impaired patrons who wear a small receiver (headset). This narration includes pre-show descriptions of the theatre and of the costume and scenic elements as well as narration of blocking and choreography between the show’s dialogue and musical numbers.
Parking
7th & Pike Garage
1508 7th Avenue, Seattle WA 98101
Subscriber parking vouchers can be redeemed at the Seventh and Pike Garage (located at the Grand Hyatt), located between Pike St and Pine St with entrances on Seventh Ave and Eighth Ave.
Entry:
Wait 3 seconds for the License Plate Reading cameras to record your plate, which starts your parking session, then the gate will automatically open.
Exit:
After the show, scan the QR codes in the elevator lobby to access the 7th & Pike Garage parking website. Enter your cellphone number and license plate information to pull up your digital parking ticket, then enter your payment method and validation. The exit gate will automatically open once all required information is entered.
For subscribers without smartphones, dial or text the number on the QR code signage to follow the same method. For those without cellphones, wait 5 seconds at the exit gate for the screen to show the parking rate owed. Remember to scan your validation before inserting or tapping your credit/debit card for discounts to apply.
