Original murals and iconic marquee lighting discovered in the Mariemont Preservation Foundation's archives are now shaping how Cindependent restores the 1938 Mariemont Theatre ahead of its planned end-of-August reopening.
Cindependent executive director Allyson West and her team visited the foundation's collections in July, studying historic photographs, artwork and original design details from the theatre's December 1938 opening. The visit yielded specific finds that are influencing both the current renovation and a longer-term vision for the building on the village square.
"It's been really fun to learn how the Theatre has had an impact on this community," West said in a post published Thursday, Aug. 6, by the Mariemont Preservation Foundation. "We were looking for those unique details that really set the Theatre apart."
Among those details: the theatre's original interior murals and its marquee lighting scheme, both of which are now guiding the refresh. Cindependent is also considering restoring the theatre's signature vertical sign, a possibility informed by what the archives revealed. The foundation's post, written by Rosie Polter, did not specify the murals' subject matter or their current condition.
Beyond the archival finds, the Cindependent team is drawing on a 1930s technicolor cinema concept to balance the building's historic character with a modern moviegoing experience.
The design direction adds a new layer to a renovation that has moved quickly since Cindependent signed a three-year lease on March 20. As we reported July 29, the nonprofit had raised $980,000 of its $1 million campaign goal at that point; the campaign has since reached the full $1 million. Five new Christy projectors and a cinema surround-sound system are already installed.
Operations director Jack Hoffpauir, who has managed the cinema for four years, is overseeing the physical restoration. West told Local 12 on July 30 that the team hopes to reopen by the end of August, with a first-run film lineup announcement expected by mid-August.
