|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
For nearly a century, the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center has been a cornerstone of New Bedford’s cultural landscape, surviving changing tastes, economic downturns, and the slow fade of its vaudeville past. Now, the historic venue is undergoing its most ambitious transformation yet — a $37 million restoration and renovation project that will both honor its legacy and propel it into the future.
On a recent tour of the theater, Rosemary Gill, president and CEO of the Zeiterion, and Molly McCarthy, director of development, highlighted the work in progress. Instead of the warm glow of stage lights, scaffolding rose where performances once took place. “Not only are we transforming the building — literally,” Gill said, “but we’re also transforming how we interact with the community and how we connect with the community through the use of these new spaces.”
Built in 1923 and last renovated in 1983, the new Z will introduce three new spaces — a Speakeasy Lounge, a Movement Studio, and a Second Floor Lounge — while modernizing seating, lighting, and accessibility. A new marquee, historically inspired, will once again grace the façade.
With $33 million already secured from city and state funding, historic tax credits, and private donors, the Z has launched the “Beyond100” campaign to raise the final $4 million. Though the official reopening is slated for early 2026, Gill hinted the curtain may rise even sooner. And when it does, the Zeiterion won’t just be restored — it will be reborn, poised to shape the next century of art and community.
Sounds wonderful! When the time comes I’d love to speak to whomever books the Speakeasy lounge or similar musical venue. My partner and I are moving to New Bedford this spring and we are both accomplished musicians, composers and songwriters. I love the NB Light! Keep us posted, Les Sampou