The
Varsity Theater, located at 1308 Fourth Street Southeast in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is a venue capable of hosting many events ranging from weddings, Baroque chamber
music recitals, and Shakespearian drama to modern dance performances,
psychedelic folk festivals, and cutting-edge trade shows. The theatre is known
for being one of the best music clubs in the Midwest and the sound and lighting
systems are top notch. The vibe and comfort level at the Varsity is second to
none.
Part of
the University of Minnesota’s Dinkytown arts and entertainment district, The
Varsity Theater opened as a vaudeville showplace in 1915. For years, the room
was small enough to be dubbed "the Dinky," eventually giving the
Dinkytown neighborhood its name. The rise of movies and vaudeville's decline
saw the theater's conversion to a streamlined modern style movie house after a redesign
by local architecture and design firm Liebenberg & Kaplan. The movie house
performed its function admirably until well into the eighties when the landmark's
marquee went dark. A final attempt to revive the spot as a nightclub failed in
nineties (although it's worth noting that Green Day played there once.) The
Varsity was then remodeled and served as an extremely well-appointed private photo
studio.
Jason
McLean, owner of the Loring Pasta Bar located near the theatre, recently purchased
the landmark and began the renovation that would reopen the Varsity’s doors to
the public. McLean’s dream of using the Varsity as a strategically located
venue for theater, music, film, dance, and as a special occasion event facility
came to fruition after a more than $270,000 remodel. McLean turned the photo studio
back into a theater by remodeling the backstage, installing theatrical lighting
and sound equipment and putting in patron seating. The lobby doubles as a bar
and café, opening into a tall room lined with red velvet curtains.
Those who
haven’t set foot in the Varsity since it was closed to the public in 1991 will
be truly delighted at the theatre’s current multipurpose performing arts status.
There are many parking options for the Varsity’s patrons, including street side
metered spots, near-by lots, bus routes and valet. The Varsity theatre also offers
a truly unique cafe area where patrons can drink espresso and have a bite to
eat while watching performances and rehearsals.
Local
filmmaker Emily Goldberg said she likes the way the theater’s layout gives
performers and directors creative freedom. “The first thing I did was lie down
(on one of the air mattresses) and think about projecting images on the
ceiling,” she said. The theater’s setup will allow artists to decide where
people will sit, what they will sit on and where the stage will be.
The
Varsity Theatre is an absolutely gorgeous place for a show, maybe the best in
town. With a comfortable décor and a large open performance space, the
sightlines are second to none and the live music experience is enhanced by a
tremendous sound and lighting system. They have paid attention to the things
that matter most to the music fan, so there is little confusion as to why the
Varsity is quickly becoming THE place for local and smaller touring bands to
play. Be sure to reserve your ticket for this local hot spot!
The Varsity Theater possesses that rare old-school red rope theater feel to it ? all red carpet and no concrete welcome showgoers. The bar is unassumingly placed in the back of the room with usually dim light to not draw attention to itself during shows. It invites anyone to head back and enjoy a tap Summit. Ample amounts of couches and tables line the main floor on either side, and it?s hard to decide whether to sit in one of these temptingly comfortable couches or stand on the floor in order to see the show better. Depending on the show, many people opt for the former. Many pre-Orpheum type supernova artists come through the Varsity. Amy Winehouse played on May 2 at the Varsity, spoiling U of M students with her immense talent before blowing up at the MTV Movie Awards a month later. Other acts that have recently blessed the Varsity include Imogen Heap, The Fray and Cat Power. With artists like this coming through, it?s inevitable that tickets for the Varsity Theater will get snatched up quick.
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