Restoring the Marquee

When the renovations of The 5th Avenue Theatre began in 1980, the community leaders who had raised the $2.6 million to make the renovation possible knew that not all of their plans would come to fruition. One change that couldn't take place was replacing the Theatre's aging vertical marquee.  It had fallen into disrepair since its original placement in the 1930s, and it had to be removed as other repairs to the building were made.

Then in 2009, Christabel Gough (daughter of founding Unico chairman and famed Broadway producer Roger L. Stevens), contacted The 5th. Roger Stevens had brought such legendary shows as Tea and Sympathy, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Annie to Broadway; and he had been part of the original group that saved The 5th Avenue Theatre. His daughter wanted to memorialize her father and his good friend and key community leader Jim Ryan.  She suggested that a great way to do so was to complete the Theatre's renovation by underwriting the cost of a new vertical marquee. "Going to opening nights with my father is such a lovely memory for me," recalls Gough. "It was like Christmas and New Year's all rolled into one, and the bright lights of the theaters were such a part of that."

Inspired by both the Theatre's original sign that hung at the entrance to the theater at its 1926 opening, as well as by its famous Chinese-inspired interior, the new marquee was designed by Eric Levine and Yusuke Ito of NBBJ and built by CREO Industrial Arts in Everett.

Featuring an aluminum frame that weighs a remarkably light 55,000 lbs. and energy-efficient LED illumination of approximately 2,000 lights, the new sign is state-of-the-art, yet respectful of the Theatre's illustrious history. And one last touch makes the sign particularly special: the “5th” at its summit rotates.

"“We started with a white canvas, no clue what to do,” says NBBJ's Yusuke Ito. “The initial thing we did was say 'let's not think about the marquee; let's think about the history and aesthetics of The 5th and its interior design’. When we eventually looked at photos of the 1926 marquee, we had many ideas, but that was such an amazing design, we wanted to bring elements of that in too. I'm honored to have worked on this," says Ito. "I've seen a lot of shows at the Theatre in the last couple of years, and now it suddenly feels like it's my first time up on a stage. I'm excited to hear what people think!"

"We were thrilled when we were asked to participate in the production of such an iconic piece for the historic 5th Avenue Theatre," says Jeff Braaten, CREO's account executive on the project. "CREO does work throughout the country and around the world, but it's always more rewarding when you can participate in such a notable project right in your own backyard. It took extensive collaboration between the Theatre, NBBJ and CREO to produce.”

Because of a daughter's love for her visionary father, the new marquee is a sparkling beacon beckoning patrons to the theater and bringing renewed energy and life to downtown Seattle.