The Mellow Theater

In 1994, when Lackawanna College purchased the former Scranton Central High School from the Scranton School District, officials quickly realized the magnitude of what it would take to renovate the massive, historic building. It was decided early on to focus the initial repairs and restoration on the existing hallways and classrooms – the priority for a college under a deadline to open for classes on time.

It was not until two years later, in 1996 that efforts began to restore the former Scranton Central auditorium, originally built in 1923 as a venue shared by the high school and the Scranton arts community. For many decades, the auditorium was host to a wide variety of performances, from student productions to internationally acclaimed artists.

In 1928, Scranton Community Concerts, the first such concert organization in the United States was formed, and called the theater home for several years before moving its performances eventually to the Masonic Temple (currently the Scranton Cultural Center) in the 1940s. The Scranton School District’s use of the auditorium continued through the following decades until 1991.

In 1996, Lackawanna College engaged the Scranton architectural firm of Hemmler + Camayd for extensive restoration of what by then had suffered years of neglect and disrepair. The wall and ceiling ornamentation was carefully refurbished, repainted and highlighted with gold leafing. Leaded glass windows and exit signs were removed and restored. Benches were replaced with plush seating with ample leg room. The theater’s capacity was reduced to 1,043 seats, and the heating and air conditioning were updated in order to accommodate the audience comfortably year round. The cost of renovation was approximately $2.4 million.

The facility was dedicated as The Mellow Theater in 1999 in honor of Senator Robert Mellow, a distinguished Lackawanna College alumnus who has represented the 22nd Senatorial District in the Pennsylvania State Senate since 1971. Once again, Community Concerts returned to the theater, presenting the first concert in 1999 on the very same stage where the organization made its debut.

Since its reopening ten years ago, The Mellow Theater has hosted a wide variety of concerts, dramatic productions, children’s theater, dance and film festivals. On April 29th, Lackawanna College celebrated the 10th Anniversary of The Mellow Theater by presenting the popular 70s soft rock band, America to a sold out audience.

We are also delighted to announce that Lackawanna College and Community Concerts are merging, beginning in June 2009.

This new partnership will offer loyal Community Concerts subscribers and patrons of the Mellow Theater a wide variety of programs. Combining a performing arts organization with a college provides an excellent opportunity to expand performances and educational workshops at Lackawanna College.

We look forward to many more years of presenting the arts to the community of Northeastern Pennsylvania. We also invite you to become a sustaining member of our arts programming. Please see the details for joining. For information on Community Concerts, theater programming and ticketing, please contact Wendy Evans, Director of Programming and Special Events, 570.342.4137. E mail: evansw@lackawanna.edu