Franklin Theatre Reopens 6/3 With 1930s-Themed Celebration

The historic Franklin Theatre will reopen June 3 with a 1930s-themed celebration held in its honor in downtown Franklin. Nissan Americas, which opened its Franklin location in 2008, will sponsor the family-friendly weekend events.

Outdoor festivities for the Franklin Theatre's grand reopening will include free, live entertainment as well as extended hours for Franklin's downtown merchants and restaurants. A swing band will perform on a stage constructed adjacent to the downtown square. Giant outdoor movie screens will create Franklin's version of a Hollywood back lot. Side streets where Fourth Avenue crosses Main Street will feature free showings of two classic 1930s films, the original King Kong starring Depression-era diva Fay Wray and The Wizard of Oz in Technicolor. A third screen, at Five Points, will feature Swing Time, starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Inside the Franklin Theatre, moviegoers will enjoy a late-night 9:30 p.m. screening of Gone with the Wind, the 1939 classic starring Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh.

Built in 1937, the Franklin Theatre is reopening to the public following a four-year multi-million-dollar restoration. The 300-seat movie house will resume its tradition of showing current-run and classic movies and, thanks to a new sound and lighting system, will expand its repertoire to include concerts and plays. The newly restored Franklin Theatre includes energy-savings features, such as efficient lighting and water systems, making it one of the most environmentally friendly historic preservation projects in Tennessee. As a symbol of Nissan's support, the Nissan LEAF, an all-electric vehicle, will be the official vehicle of the theatre's re-opening festivities. Two zero-emission Nissan LEAFs will be displayed on Main Street on the evening of June 3.

For more information about the Franklin Theatre, please visit franklintheatre.com.