LSU’s restored Shaver Theatre

The Great Depression didn’t stop Gov. Huey Long and faculty leaders from constructing a gorgeous art deco theatre building on the LSU campus in 1932. This year’s financial woes didn’t halt the university from completing a four-and-a-half-year, $22 million renovation and upgrade of the facility in September.

Meticulously restored by New Orleans’ HMS Architects—the geometric cube-patterned custom carpet (1) matches the original tiled floor of the lobby—the Claude L. Shaver Theatre has reclaimed its vintage look, but with a modern makeover.

The original grill work (2) that arches above the stage—once seeped with organ drones—shimmers with a stylish new sheen, as do the multi-colored art deco end pieces on each row ?of seats and the crimson crossed musical notes (3) in relief that climb the walls toward the ceiling.

If the original seats left audiences feeling a little cramped, so the new chairs (4) are larger and cozier, like contemporary movie theater seats with a refined touch.

“Back then people were 5’ 4” and 140 pounds,” says Pat Acampora, facility director for LSU Theatre. “Now we’re 6’ and 200 pounds, and these are a lot more comfortable.”

A new control room (5) is the “brain” of the playhouse, now boasting improved sight lines and lighting rigs, and comes wired for computer access and a compressed-air delivery system to power set-building tools. The idea was to give patrons a better time at the theatre and students the opportunity to learn their craft in a state-of-the-art environment.

Moving the theatre into the 21st century, Shaver is equipped with a projection screen and simulcast capabilities to screen opera and other performances live from across the globe. The possibilities, Acampora says, are endless. For information on upcoming performances, visit theatre.lsu.edu.