The cozy North Star Theatre in Old Mandeville has been dark for more than a decade, long enough for its owner to be hazy on the name of the last production it hosted. But that is about to change in just five weeks when the house lights dim once again for a troupe of actors starring in a local production of "Chicago."
A New Era for the North Star Theatre
Starting on May 30, the theater's reopening is set to breathe new life into the North Star Theatre. This event will also highlight the older building connected to it, which has been meticulously renovated over the past four years.
A hotel dating back to the 1920s, this building at the corner of Girod and Madison streets in Old Mandeville has undergone an extensive renovation led by Jill McGuire, who is also a councilwoman in Mandeville. The project, which cost over $2 million, has transformed the 96-year-old Allenton Hotel building into the North Star Cultural Arts Center.
Seeking Artistic Tenants
Jill McGuire hopes to attract galleries or other art-centered tenants to complement the theater, which is attached by a walkway through a wide hall suitable for exhibitions. McGuire envisions events where audiences can enjoy a reception in the open space on the first floor before moving into the theater for a show.
"Think about an event here, a reception, where the audience would then flow into the theater for the show," said McGuire, as she showed off the 3,400 square feet of open space on the first floor of the two-story building. "At least that's the dream, right?"
Historical Transformation
The main building dates to 1927, originally opening on New Year's Eve as the Allenton Hotel. Built by E.J. Allen, the hotel was intended to serve passengers on a rail line that was planned to run along Girod Street. Although the rail line never materialized, the hotel managed to survive through the late 1950s, primarily accommodating workers constructing the Causeway Bridge.
Over the decades, the hotel closed, and in the late 1970s, the first floor housed several small businesses and was dubbed the "Small Mall." The building's wooden exterior was eventually covered in drab vinyl siding.
Restoration Challenges and Triumphs
Jill McGuire and her former husband, Barrett McGuire, purchased the complex in 2020 and embarked on the renovation, with Barrett conducting much of the research to match the original materials used in the hotel's construction.
"This place has had a lot of lives. Now it has another one," Jill McGuire said. She added that the building is rumored to have been a brothel at one time and that it is still haunted, though she hasn't seen any ghosts herself.
The renovation faced significant challenges, including delays caused by the pandemic and Hurricane Ida, which damaged the foundation and increased the cost of building supplies. Much of the original pine siding had to be replaced with custom-made boards from Gulfport, Mississippi, colored rust-red to match old photographs.
"It seems like everything just takes longer," McGuire said. "But the bones were really good."
Community Excitement and Future Plans
Local resident Nancy Clark, who has compiled histories of numerous old buildings in the area, praised the renovation. "The exterior is absolutely beautiful," Clark said. "I have high hopes for it."
While McGuire dreams of the building being filled with artsy types, most interest so far has come from prospective renters seeking small office space. "We'll just have to see what happens," she said.
Showtime at the North Star Theatre
One certainty is the reopening of the theater. Built in the late 1980s, the auditorium seats around 100 and previously hosted a regular season of shows. This tradition is set to return with the production company Evangeline Theater Co. handling the shows. "Chicago" will run for eight performances, and McGuire said more productions will follow.
"We're going to have a regular season," she said. "I hear a lot about it. I think people are really excited."
The revitalization of the North Star Theatre and the Allenton Hotel building marks a significant milestone for Old Mandeville, promising to bring cultural enrichment and community engagement back to the heart of the town.
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