Greenwich Odeum Unveils Second Floor Renovations

EAST GREENWICH, RI—The Greenwich Odeum, the vintage theater in East Greenwich, has unveiled the addition of a new second floor balcony and concessions area.

The project was supported by the community, including BankNewport, which awarded a $5,000 grant that the nonprofit leveraged as a two-week matching gift challenge to maximize its impact on the project.

The recent renovations to the theater transformed unused space in the theater on the second floor, adding 74 balcony seats to increase theater capacity by 20%, an upper lobby, a concessions area, and a new restroom, said Spencer Gossy, Account Executive at Regan Communications and a spokesperson for the Greenwich Odeum.

"Along with improving the patron experience, the new seating capacity and amenities is a draw to the Odeum's ability to book larger, national acts," wrote Gossy in an email statement.

Renovations to the second floor of the Greenwich Odeum have been in the works for nearly three years. They were completed earlier this year around the time the COVID-19 pandemic hit and unveiled in October.

The Greenwich Odeum first opened in 1926 as the Greenwich Theater, says the venue's website. It hosted all kinds of performances and eventually became a full-time movie theater. After shutting its doors several times over the years due to losing business from the emergence of multi-screen theaters and being forced to comply with strict fire codes following the West Warwick nightclub fire in 2003, it has been open with plenty of community support since 2013.

The venue is currently operating at reduced capacity and booking private events while following all COVID-19 public safety guidelines.