Paramount Theater launches capital campaign

The Paramount Theatre in Rutland recently launched its “Legacy in Stone” campaign.
The second “naming” campaign in the theatre’s 18-year history will be a commemorative and permanent salute to area residents who love the Historic Landmark Theatre and have enjoyed it for years; for some, it will memorialize family member’s decades of use and enjoyment of the storied hall.
The “Legacy in Stone” Campaign will transform a 30- by 12-foot rectangle in the sidewalk directly in front of the three main entrance doors to the theatre. The Paramount is offering 1,000 bricks to be engraved at the specification of the participants.  The available bricks come in three different offerings: 100 8×8 grey square bricks around the edge of the rectangle for $500, 100 4×8 red bricks comprising a Paramount “P” in the center of the rectangle for $300 and the remaining 4×8 grey bricks will fill in the remainder of the rectangle for $150 each.
Executive Director Bruce Bouchard said, “Much like the ‘seat naming’ campaign of 1999-2000, this new initiative will permanently honor in an attractive brick array in front of the theatre our sponsors, our area businesses and even grandparents and parents who enjoyed many evenings and afternoons in the building; in both its current incarnation as a robust presenting hall and its many years as a venue for first-run Hollywood filmed entertainment.” Bouchard continued, “As good stewards of the tremendous generosity showed us over many years, we have conceived of this unique plan to strengthen our financial position and to create a measure of security for the institution moving forward.  Unlike some legacy campaigns, this one will create stakeholder ‘positions’ planted into the sidewalk to be admired by all who enter.”
The campaign had a limited offering at the annual Paramount fundraiser, Festival of Trees, and 72 8x8s, 55 4×8 reds and 52 4×8 grey bricks have been purchased.
Participants can donate at paramountvt.org, see a short video about the program and proceed in one click to the “Purchase a Brick” page. This is a credit card transaction and our partners in this endeavor proceed directly to the “inscription” page where the personalized message will be captured in the Legacy in Stone database.
Construction of the project is anticipated sometime in mid-2017.