An Art Deco Cinema Palace Amazingly Restored Into A Dynamic Multi-Use Complex

Originally a 1930s cinema palace, the Paramount had closed in 1976 and fallen into disrepair by the time Emerson College purchased the building in 2005. Enchantingly restored in lively Art Deco style, the reopened Paramount Center includes: the Paramount Mainstage, a 596-seat theatre with a brand-new stage and orchestra pit. The Paramount Mainstage evokes the thrill of cinema’s Golden Age while hosting world-class performing artists; the Jackie Liebergott Black Box (“The Jackie”): an intimate, 150-seat theater (named for former Emerson College President Jacqueline Liebergott), that provides the Paramount Centers performers with a more flexible space. Exposed brick, tall windows and an open room invite artists to envision their own worlds and create unique experiences for audiences; and The Bright Family Screening Room: a state-of-the-art screening room is named for the family of Emerson alumnus and Trustee Kevin Bright, producer of the hit series “Friends” and son of vaudeville performer and manager Jackie Bright. A venue for both film and live performance, the Bright Family Screening Room features 16 millimeter, 35 millimeter and digital projection equipment with seating for 170 people. In addition to the three main performance venues, the Paramount Center includes a scene/prop production shop, rehearsal studios, 4 classrooms, 6 practice rooms, 20 faculty offices, a residence hall, and a student gathering area.