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Historic Carolina Theatre announces $2.5 million fundraising campaign

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A Lee Enterprises, Incorporated newspaper. Majority shareholder: David Hoffmann, Hoffmann Media Group.

Historic Carolina Theatre announces $2.5 million fundraising campaign

• Dawn Kane
• Sep 14, 2017
• Sep 14, 2017
• 0
• 4 min to read

1 of 12

The theater’s auditorium will be named for Benjamin Cone Jr. and his wife, Betty, who donated $500,000 to the renovation project.

• Photos by H. Scott Hoffmann/News & Record

The Carolina Theatre’s 57-year-old auditorium is still dazzling, but it needs new seats and other upgrades.

• Andrew Krech/News & Record

Window light pools on a worn carpet in the mezzanine area of the Carolina Theater, Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017, in Greensboro, N.C. Much of the carpet within the theater will be replaced in the upcoming renovations.

• Andrew Krech/News & Record

The Carolina Theatre’s 57-year-old auditorium seats, on the main floor and mezzanine, will be replaced. The new seats will be wider, and aisle seats more accessible to people with disabilities while retaining a historic look.

• Andrew Krech/News & Record

Irish Spencer and Betty Cone gather for a photo during a fund-raising announcement for the Carolina Theatre in Greensboro, NC on Sept. 14, 2017.

• H. Scott Hoffmann/News & Record

Betty Cone, who has played a crucial role in many Carolina Theatre restoration projects, in the mezzanine of the Carolina Theatre, Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017, in Greensboro, N.C.

• Andrew Krech/News & Record

Austin Petty and Mitchel Sommers give a thumbs up as they enter the Carolina Theatre during a fund-raising announcement for the Carolina Theatre in Greensboro, NC on Sept. 14, 2017.

• H. Scott Hoffmann/News & Record

Souveneir magnets for sale during a fund-raising announcement for the Carolina Theatre in Greensboro, NC on Sept. 14, 2017.

• H. Scott Hoffmann/News & Record

Ben Cone, Jr. leans close on the right as organist David Paden plays during a fund-raising announcement for the Carolina Theatre in Greensboro, NC on Sept. 14, 2017.

• H. Scott Hoffmann/News & Record

The original projectors from the Carolina Theatre, in storage, Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017, in Greensboro, N.C.

• Andrew Krech/News & Record

Campaign co-chairs Irish Spencer blows a kiss as Randy Spivey applauds to Betty and Ben Cone after the auditorium of the Carolina Theatre was dedicated to the couple during a fund-raising announcement for the Carolina Theatre in Greensboro, NC on Sept. 14, 2017.

• H. Scott Hoffmann/News & Record

The Carolina Theatre first opened on October 31, 1927 in this photo taken in Greensboro, NC on Sept. 14, 2017.

• H. Scott Hoffmann/News & Record

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Dawn Kane

GREENSBORO — The Carolina Theatre will celebrate its 90th anniversary next month, and supporters want to set the stage for its next 90 years.

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Betty Cone holds a stairwell door during a tour of the Carolina Theatre, Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017, in Greensboro, N.C.

Andrew Krech/News & Record

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Betty Cone (right), a longtime champion of the Carolina Theatre, chats with donors before a fundraising announcement on Thursday.

H. Scott Hoffmann/News & Record

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The Carolina Theatre's 57-year-old auditorium seats, on the main floor and mezzanine, will be replaced. The new seats will be wider, and aisle seats more accessible to people with disabilities  while retaining a historic look.

Andrew Krech/News & Record

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Tim Rickard

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Betty Cone discusses a prototype chair that will replace the current seats in the Carolina Theatre, Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017, in Greensboro, N.C. The 57-year-old auditorium seats, on the main floor and mezzanine, will be replaced.

Andrew Krech/News & Record

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Campaign co-chairs Irish Spencer and Randy Spivey share a toast during a fund-raising announcement for the Carolina Theatre in Greensboro, NC on Sept. 14, 2017.

H. Scott Hoffmann/News & Record

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Betty Cone stands outside one of her many successful projects, saving the Carolina Theatre on May 22, 1981.

Joseph Rodriguez/News & Record

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Firefighters work at the balcony entrance of the Carolina Theatre after a devastating fire on July 1, 1981.

News & Record

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Contact Dawn DeCwikiel-Kane at 336-373-5204 and follow @dawndkaneNR on Twitter.

Want to donate?

Donors can contribute in three ways to the Carolina Theatre's "Setting the Stage" campaign.

• Online at carolinatheatre.com.

• Contact Brenda Studt, campaign coordinator, at 336-333-2600, ext. 9.

• By mail at Carolina Theatre, 310 S. Greene St., Greensboro, NC 27401. Make checks payable to the Carolina Theatre, and Indicate it goes to the theater's capital campaign, Setting the Stage.

Want to go?

What: "The Spirit of the Carolina: Celebrating 90 Years," featuring its history and performances by the city's arts community.

When: 8 p.m. Oct. 28

Where: Carolina Theatre, 310 S. Greene St., Greensboro.

Tickets: $15-$25, available by calling 336-333-2605 or online at carolinatheatre.com.

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The theater’s auditorium will be named for Benjamin Cone Jr. and his wife, Betty, who donated $500,000 to the renovation project.

• Photos by H. Scott Hoffmann/News & Record

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The Carolina Theatre’s 57-year-old auditorium is still dazzling, but it needs new seats and other upgrades.

• Andrew Krech/News & Record

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Betty Cone holds a stairwell door during a tour of the Carolina Theatre, Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017, in Greensboro, N.C.

• Andrew Krech/News & Record

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Window light pools on a worn carpet in the mezzanine area of the Carolina Theater, Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017, in Greensboro, N.C. Much of the carpet within the theater will be replaced in the upcoming renovations.

• Andrew Krech/News & Record

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The Carolina Theatre’s 57-year-old auditorium seats, on the main floor and mezzanine, will be replaced. The new seats will be wider, and aisle seats more accessible to people with disabilities while retaining a historic look.

• Andrew Krech/News & Record

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Irish Spencer and Betty Cone gather for a photo during a fund-raising announcement for the Carolina Theatre in Greensboro, NC on Sept. 14, 2017.

• H. Scott Hoffmann/News & Record

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• Tim Rickard

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Betty Cone stands outside one of her many successful projects, saving the Carolina Theatre on May 22, 1981.

• Joseph Rodriguez/News & Record

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Firefighters work at the balcony entrance of the Carolina Theatre after a devastating fire on July 1, 1981.

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Betty Cone discusses a prototype chair that will replace the current seats in the Carolina Theatre, Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017, in Greensboro, N.C. The 57-year-old auditorium seats, on the main floor and mezzanine, will be replaced.

• Andrew Krech/News & Record

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The Carolina Theatre's 57-year-old auditorium seats, on the main floor and mezzanine, will be replaced. The new seats will be wider, and aisle seats more accessible to people with disabilities  while retaining a historic look.

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Betty Cone, who has played a crucial role in many Carolina Theatre restoration projects, in the mezzanine of the Carolina Theatre, Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017, in Greensboro, N.C.

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Austin Petty and Mitchel Sommers give a thumbs up as they enter the Carolina Theatre during a fund-raising announcement for the Carolina Theatre in Greensboro, NC on Sept. 14, 2017.

• H. Scott Hoffmann/News & Record

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Souveneir magnets for sale during a fund-raising announcement for the Carolina Theatre in Greensboro, NC on Sept. 14, 2017.

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Ben Cone, Jr. leans close on the right as organist David Paden plays during a fund-raising announcement for the Carolina Theatre in Greensboro, NC on Sept. 14, 2017.

• H. Scott Hoffmann/News & Record

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Campaign co-chairs Irish Spencer and Randy Spivey share a toast during a fund-raising announcement for the Carolina Theatre in Greensboro, NC on Sept. 14, 2017.

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The original projectors from the Carolina Theatre, in storage, Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017, in Greensboro, N.C.

• Andrew Krech/News & Record

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Campaign co-chairs Irish Spencer blows a kiss as Randy Spivey applauds to Betty and Ben Cone after the auditorium of the Carolina Theatre was dedicated to the couple during a fund-raising announcement for the Carolina Theatre in Greensboro, NC on Sept. 14, 2017.

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The Carolina Theatre first opened on October 31, 1927 in this photo taken in Greensboro, NC on Sept. 14, 2017.

• H. Scott Hoffmann/News & Record

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Betty Cone (right), a longtime champion of the Carolina Theatre, chats with donors before a fundraising announcement on Thursday.

• H. Scott Hoffmann/News & Record

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