SCRANTON — The next time you attend a show at the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple, look up.
A $10 million state-funded renovation replaced the original plaster and wooden arch using the original plans, custom plaster molds and several thousand feet of custom milled walnut wood. The original arch, weakened by water damage, fell into the orchestra pit in the 1980s. The space had been shrouded in black fabric.
The Scranton Cultural Center formally unveiled the renovation Wednesday, along with a new organizational structure. Broadway Theatre League of Northeastern Pennsylvania and the Scranton Cultural Center have merged.
Details on the proscenium arch framing the stage in the main theater at the Scranton Cultural Center in Scranton on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Broadway Theatre League is behind the six-decade-old annual series of touring Broadway shows. “SIX: The Musical,” the first production of this year’s season, is this weekend. It is a national tour, with an Equity union cast, of a Tony Award-winning musical that is still playing on Broadway.
At Wednesday’s news conference, leaders of both organizations said the merger strengthens the future of the building and the existing programming, with hope for additional events.
Employees of both organizations have been retained, they said. Frank T. Blasi will now serve as co-executive director with Deborah Moran Peterson.
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Paint was peeling on the ceiling of the theater in the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple in Scranton on Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
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Details on the ceiling, which was one of the main projects in the renovations of the theater at the Scranton Cultural Center in Scranton on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
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A photo taken during restoration work at the Scranton Cultural Center (Scranton Cultural Center)
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Workers built scaffolding on the stage in the theater of the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple in Scranton on Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
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The Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple is viewed through an archway of the Scranton School District Administration Building on N. Washington St. in downtown Scranton. (TIMES-TRIBUNE FILE)
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Paint was peeling on the ceiling of the theater in the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple in Scranton on Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
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The theater was completed on schedule, in time for a “Sesame Street Live” show scheduled for Thursday.
The 180,000-square-foot building at 420 N. Washington Ave. opened as a Masonic temple in 1930. Its two theaters make it the largest performance space in Scranton. It hosts weddings and other events, with the largest of the ballrooms seating several hundred people. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places.
For years, some of the elaborate details were marred by water damage, missing panels and highly visible patches of peeling paint and plaster.
The restoration effort combines craftsmanship, care and deep respect for the building’s original vision, said John Murray. He and Brian Cali are joint chairmen of the new board.
“This restoration isn’t about aesthetics, it is preserving cultural heritage and ensuring this historic venue continues to inspire future generations,” Murray said.
The unveiling was theatrical. Officials held the news conference behind the curtain, facing the backstage area that merges into the adjoining restored ballroom. The curtain rose after a blast of music and a countdown.
Exterior work continues. The project includes a complete roof and gutter overhaul and repairs to mortar and masonry.
To prevent rust, crews will install a cathodic protection system. The process involves chipping out mortar joints down to the steel structure, about 15 inches below the surface of the exterior stone, in hundreds of spots, drilling a small metal clip into the steel and attaching a wire. The wire will be cemented in place and connected to other wires and a power source that provides a low-impact pulse of current.
Baut Studios, in Swoyersville, is restoring some of the stained-glass windows with glass ordered from Germany.
The scope of the renovation was trimmed for financial reasons, officials said in the summer. Leaders hope to do more renovations in the future.
The general contractor is D & M Construction Unlimited of Dalton and the architectural consultant is Highland Associates of Clarks Summit.
Other upcoming events include a holiday market, a Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic holiday show and a Beatles versus the Rolling Stones tribute act concert.
The Cultural Center’s website is scrantonculturalcenter.org.