Ellington

The Neptune Theatre, the U-District’s oldest arts and entertainment venue, officially reopened Sunday with a free showing of the ever-popular Rocky Horror Picture Show after nearly a year of renovations.

Vivian Phillips, director of marketing and communications for the Seattle Theater Group (STG), said the theater is open and ready to cater to the needs of the U-District community, with a full line-up planned over the next few months.

“The Neptune’s programming allows us to present concerts and other performances that are a better fit for the University District than perhaps at one of our other theatres downtown,” she said. “It also presents a great opportunity to focus on developing local artists.” The newly revamped Neptune will feature some top-tier acts during its opening months, including the likes of St. Vincent, Girls, Indie Heroes, and The National.

Local artists will have a space as well, with shows coming from Bellingham natives The Posies and Portland band Blitzen Trapper.

“Community-based programs that engage people from within the University District and surrounding communities, as well as educational and experiential programs and programs presented in partnership with the University of Washington, are all a part of what we intend to achieve through operation of the Neptune,” Phillips said.

Aside from great music acts, the theater has some laugh-inducing comedians coming through as well. Stand-up acts include Comedy Central favorites Demetri Martin and Doug Benson as well as Saturday Night Live legend Norm MacDonald.

The Neptune first opened in November 1921 — premiering as a silent film theater — and, to this day, remains the only remaining venue of the five that were built during the silent-film era in the U-District.

Over the years, the Neptune has had its fair share of owners with everyone from building tenants, small theater companies, and, most recently, Landmark Theaters, the owners from 1981 to 2010.

In 2011, the Neptune was sold to STG, owners of The Paramount and Moore Theatres, who decided to turn the single-screen movie theater of 90 years into a performing-arts venue that would provide music, stand-up comedy, and films, among other things.

New amenities include portable main-floor seating — so the venue can have both standing-admission and reserved-seating events — as well as the balcony, which remains sloped theater seating.

The Neptune also has installed a new safety sprinkler system, upgraded its bathrooms, and put in a new state-of-the-art lighting and sound system and a drink stand on the main level.

Even with a number of new upgrades, The Neptune was able to maintain the feel of a historic theater. Minor-detail upgrades were made with a new coat of paint and some general repair work in the lobby and hallways, but the glorious Renaissance Revival architecture of the auditorium has been left alone, with STG deciding to keep the theater’s original stage and proscenium.

“The primary goal of the theater is to keep this historic treasure alive and vital,” Phillips said.

Reach reporter Garrett Black at news@dailyuw.com.