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The Elsinore Theatre will celebrate her 100th anniversary in May 2026. In honor of this momentous occasion, we are launching a capital campaign to invest in the next 100 years of our historic theater.
It has been twenty years since the Return to Grandeur restoration efforts concluded. They laid the foundation that has allowed recent Elsinore seasons to comprise wonderfully full calendars of diverse, well-attended events. Elsinore operations bolster the quality of life for patrons, help fuel the downtown economy and give artists a stage to share their talents.
The Elsinore Theatre, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a full-time staff of 10 that operates under the direction of a Board of Directors. The organization owns the building and acts as responsible stewards of the treasured Salem venue, affording maintenance and (too frequent) critical repairs due to the building’s age.
Artists and patrons alike love coming to the Elsinore. But wear and tear are taking a toll, and to stay competitive and desirable in the future, help from the community is needed for capital improvements that will allow her to continue as the revered Showplace of the Willamette Valley.
Phase 1 encompasses enhancing our façade to replace long missing historic features that illuminate the Elsinore’s significance: the lighted blade sign, marquees, and roofline ornamentation. The wheels are in motion to make that installation happen the summer of 2025. (Estimated cost – $1.5 million)
Phase 2 will focus on the auditorium and customer experience improvements – upgraded sound equipment and new seats with more ADA accessible seating options. (Estimated cost- $5 million)
This project allows for restoration of spectacular historic features that were damaged or destroyed by weather events over the past decades: The Gothic roofline ornamentation which has failed at least three times in the Elsinore’s history, most recently in 2020, and needs to be recreated in a weather durable material; the 1928 lighted blade sign that once illuminated the block blew down in the 1962 Columbus Day storm and has been missing ever since; and the marquees that were added in the early 1930’s to announce upcoming shows to passing drivers and pedestrians have been missing for decades.
Replacing the blade sign and related improvements represents a very visible investment in a key Salem Downtown Historic District landmark. Not only will the project improve the visibility and public awareness of the theater, but it will increase the community’s knowledge of the increasingly diverse programming. The Elsinore is a true community center, offering arts, community performances, classic films, civic events, and social activities.
By bolstering the Elsinore’s exterior impact, these improvements will drive a continued and growing desire of patrons to choose it as a destination for enjoying performing arts and culture.
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