Once there were four historic theaters operating in downtown New Orleans: the Saenger, Orpheum, Joy, and Loews State Palace. These establishments boasted gleaming facades and uniformed ushers directing droves of patrons to see the finest in American motion-picture entertainment, but this is 2011, and each is shuttered.
Over the past five years, there have been attempts to reopen each of them with mixed success. The Saenger had at one point pulled ahead until problems with financing delayed its proposed 2011 reboot. Now it looks like the first to be revitalized will be the Joy Theater, with its neon signage fully restored to its historic luster.
The Joy opened in 1947 as the first movie theater to be constructed on Canal Street in 20 years. The theater was outfitted with futuristic amenities like a soundproof, glass-enclosed “crying room” for children and an impossible-to-miss neon marquee. This era of theater-building embraced Marcus Loew’s philosophy: “We sell tickets to theaters, not movies.” Bold, expensive architecture was the norm, as opposed to the sterile, homogenized multiplexes we’ve become accustomed to.
But the Joy will not re-open its doors as a movie house. Instead, the NOLA Theatre District LLC has opted for a more creative, open-ended approach. The space will be used to showcase music, comedy, and theater, including “house shows” to highlight the musical heritage of New Orleans. The developers are aiming to be “a cross between Mahalia Jackson, House of Blues, and Le Chat Noir,” according to spokesperson Sandie McNamara.
Some shows will offer general admission, others will offer floor and balcony seating, and private events will be welcome. An upscale, multi-purpose performance space should be able to attract the sort of shows that have of late been skipping New Orleans: touring acts too big for the House of Blues but too niche for New Orleans Arena. “We are focused on bringing the Joy back to an upscale, elegant venue that showcases a wide variety of entertainment,” says McNamara.
