A milestone in our comeback

Tonight, one of the Corridor's performing-arts crown jewels returns, shinier than ever.

Welcome back, Iowa Theatre. You were missed. And your return has been much anticipated for many reasons.

The downtown home of Theatre Cedar Rapids has been restored and extensively renovated 20 months after floodwaters filled its basement and covered the stage and several rows of seats. The venue gets its first public review at tonight's sold-out gala opening of “The Producers,” which runs through March 14.

The impressive $7.8 million face-lift and upgrade was funded by a combination of federal disaster funds, grants from Vision Iowa and the Hall-Perrine Foundation and a fundraising campaign. The results could make the theater an even bigger attraction. That's important not only for the community theater group, which traces its roots to 1925, but for the economic benefits.

Drawing several hundred theater patrons on dozens of performance nights throughout the year means a more vibrant downtown and the potential of more traffic for small businesses, such as restaurants and bars. Casey Prince, the theater group's managing director, understands the potential ripple effects of the facility's rejuvenation and reopening. He told a Gazette reporter that he's hoping for a domino effect.

“From the theater's perspective, we love that we're going to be back downtown and hope to pay it forward for as many other organizations as we can.”

With many downtown area businesses still struggling to make a post-flood comeback, the theater's return is a major milestone in the recovery trek. Mayor Ron Corbett, in his State of the City speech Wednesday, pointed to other downtown projects that also play a vital role in the arts and entertainment sector and economic growth: restoration and improvements for the Paramount Theatre, heavily damaged in the flood, and an upgrade and convention center addition to the 30-year-old U.S. Cellular Center. They are among five priorities involving civic assets the mayor identified for flood-recovery focus this year.

Let's also remember that patronizing events at the Iowa Theatre is another way to “buy local,” an emphasis the new city council lineup endorsed as its first order of business in January. And when you purchase a ticket and slip into one of those wider, more comfortable seats to enjoy high-quality entertainment amid stunning surroundings, you also make an investment in our quality of life, our sense of community pride.

On with the show!