Oct 13 2008
The Bijou Theater
In an earlier post on another blog I maintain, I highlighted the beautiful Tennessee Theatre , the Official State Theatre of Tennessee. Knoxville is also home to the historic Bijou Theatre. Originally opened in 1909, the Bijou Theatre is housed in the fourth oldest building in Knoxville.
With a plan to restore the historic building to the past glory that the previous owners tried but could not effectively do, the Bijou Theatre was rescued in 2005 from foreclosure by two businessmen who negotiated the purchase of it. With an incredible show of support, the mayor of Knoxville spearheaded a fundraising drive that brought in $2.1 million. The money was used to restore the facade, add handicapped accessible features, and mechanical systems. This enormous sum of money also gave the rescued theatre a two year operating budget. Now operating as a 501(c)(3) charity under the auspices of Bijou Theatre Foundation, this beautiful and historic theatre has a new life.
The restored theatre provides an intimate setting with a capacity of 700 people, and the acoustics are second to none. Thanks to the management of A.C. Entertainment , the Bijou Theatre is guaranteed a wide variety of performers to meet every musical taste. Click HERE to view the current calendar and Click HERE to visit the official website of the Bijou Theatre.
