Strand Theatre opens in style

Little princesses in their faux fur wraps and sparkly gloves mingled with bejeweled society mavens in their mink-trimmed coats at the Earl Smith Strand Theatre on the Marietta Square.

“Beauty and the Beast” drew an excited crowd to the Strand’s opening night Friday after a six-year, $4 million restoration that transformed it from a 1935 movie theater into the home of the Atlanta Lyric Theatre and live performances.

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ANDY SHARP / AJC Special

Aida Scuffle applies makeup to Atlanta Lyric Theatre’s Matthew Kacergis, who is playing the Beast in ‘Beauty and the Beast.’

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“Opening night has so much more surprises. The cast has more anxiety and excitement,” said Laurie Watkins of Kennesaw, a regular theatergoer and a Southern Polytechnic State University senior. “You see things you won’t see any other time.”

Mary Margaret Kelley, 5, of Kennesaw was there “because I love princesses,” she said, “so that I can see Beauty.” She was there with her mother, Betsy Kelley, and grandfather, Sam Storey of Marietta, and delighted that she would be up way past her normal 7 p.m. bedtime.

As Strand renovation project supervisor Steve Rinderle hustled to repair a wire and light the theater’s marquee, theatergoers filed in.

Earl Smith, for whom the theater is named, is the prime mover behind the restoration. Arriving with his wife, Rachel, he admitted to mixed feelings about opening night.

“Is everything right? What’s wrong?” he said. “It’s as if my daughter were performing and we’d come to see her.”

The Strand morphed through 65 years as a movie theater, cinema draft house, rock music venue, flea market and church. It survived a fire that caused $500,000 in damage before last closing in 2000. Today, it’s home to live theater and special events.

Before its doors opened, the Strand had more than 200 events booked, far exceeding the 125 it had hoped for, executive director Earl Reece said.

For the inaugural production — the grand opening is Jan. 10 — 85 percent of the Strand’s 531 seats were filled.

Before the opening show — playing through Dec. 21 — a gaggle of giggling girls celebrating the 9th birthdays of Molly Sikes and Katie Preisinger of Atlanta took photographs in the lobby while older patrons lined up at the bar for drinks.

Hope Morgan, 11, of Duluth carefully carried a bouquet of roses to present to her cousin Ben Wilson, 9, who plays Chip in the show.

Rita Pope of Powder Springs acted in productions in her native England and has supported local theater since she moved here in 1956 as a war bride. Opening nights still thrill her.

“I always think they’re such full of excitement,” Pope said.

“I came here when it was a movie theater,” she said, gazing around the Strand lobby. “I don’t remember it being quite this luxurious. It’s just lovely to see it.”