Georgetown Palace Theatre set to re-open after community raises over $400,000

Georgetown Palace Theatre to reopen after repairs

For over a century the Palace Theatre has stood as a cornerstone of the Georgetown Plaza, and its special place in the city’s identity has been fully evident as the community has raised $400,000 to help the venue recover after severe flood damage.

GEORGETOWN, Texas - For over a century, the Palace Theatre has stood as a cornerstone of Georgetown Plaza, and its special place in the city’s identity has been fully evident as the community has raised $400,000 to help the venue recover after severe flood damage.

The backstory:

During the winter blast which struck Central Texas at the end of January, a pump failed in the back of the theatre. This breakdown led to over 3 feet of water engulfing the stage, destroying three rows of seating, and ruining production equipment.

Georgetown Palace Theatre to reopen

What they're saying:

"The repair cost is in the half a million-dollar range. Insurance covered less than ten percent," says Debra Heater, the theatre’s development director. Beyond the physical damage, the flooding brought a major disruption to scheduled productions.

"It really dismantled our season," Heater explained. "We lost twelve performances, had to cancel a show, and postpone another."

Facing a steep financial challenge, the Palace Theatre turned to fundraising, and the response from the Georgetown community was overwhelming. In just two months, more than $400,000 was raised.

Fundraising efforts

A major boost came from the W.D. Kelley Foundation, which recently gifted the Palace Theatre a $100,000 matching grant to support its rebuilding costs.

"It was amazing," Heater said. "To be able to come back—and come back better—and having them was a huge part of that. Tt makes us feel so loved and grateful, and we’re just thrilled to be able to come back and do what we love, which is produce theatre."

Restoration efforts are already well underway. Crews have replaced damaged carpeting, relocated seating from other areas to replace the ones lost in the flood, and installed new sound equipment. Plans for a refreshed interior design are also in the works, though Heater says those details are still under wraps.

"It’s going to be a fantastic experience," she said. "You’re going to be wowed. I hope everybody likes the design; I think it’s really amazing."

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Georgetown Palace Theatre suffers six figures' worth of flooding damage from winter storm

While the rest of Central Texas may have bounced back from the winter storm, a historic community theatre in Georgetown is trying to recover.

Eyes on the future

While the circumstances for an upgrade weren’t ideal, the theatre now has its sights set on the future.

"We’re not happy that it happened this way," Heater said, "but we are so grateful we’re able to do this now, so we can be ready for the next 100 years."

Their excitement for the future is also felt by those who call Georgetown home.

"It’s monumental, literally. It’s a big part of our Georgetown, a big part of our square," said Katie Harper, who works at the nearby Blushing Bell Boutique. "It’s where just decades of history have come from. People from all over have stories and memories that go on there."

For locals like Kenny Gattis, those memories span back over 40 years.

"I went to my first movie here in 1977 to see Star Wars and I loved this theatre forever," he told FOX 7. When asked if he was surprised that the Georgetown community had come together so quickly to support the theatre, he said not at all.

"Downtown Georgetown takes care of their own. This town has been here forever and ever, and they’re going to take care of the Palace Theatre no matter what."

What's next:

The Palace Theatre is on track to open for rentals beginning at the end of this month. Its first production will return on May 29th, with the rock opera, Jesus Christ Superstar.

If you would like to purchase tickets or donate to reconstruction costs, both can be done by visiting the theatre’s website.