(PRINCETON, NJ) -- Since 1930, the stage now known as the Ed and Marie Matthews Theatre at McCarter Theatre Center has welcomed some of the world's most celebrated artists and performances. From Jimmy Stewart to Yo-Yo Ma, from Lucille Ball to the world premieres of Our Town and Having Our Say, generations of audiences have experienced landmark moments from the theatre's iconic red seats—and now, the seats are receiving their own curtain call.
This summer, Princeton University and McCarter are undertaking replacement of all seating in the Matthews Theatre. The iconic end standards, installed in 1930 featuring the Triangle Club logo, will be restored and reinstalled as part of the project.
Family-owned Irwin Seating Company of Grand Rapids, Michigan—the same company that manufactured McCarter's original seats in 1929—will produce and deliver the new seating. The company continues to operate the factory floor where the original seats were built nearly a century ago.
The new seats will feature cast aluminum, steel, and maple wood construction, with molded foam cushioning and red velour upholstery. While the seating itself will be fully replaced, the current seating layout of the Matthews Theatre will remain unchanged, ensuring patrons will find their seats in the same locations they have always occupied—now newly upgraded for comfort and durability. Carpeting throughout the theatre will also be replaced.
Architects Marvel Design and theatre consultants Charcoalblue—whose previous collaborations include St. Ann's Warehouse on the Brooklyn waterfront, TheatreSquared, and the newly renovated Lyric Theatre on Broadway in New York—led design and theatre planning for the project.
McCarter Theatre is one of the country's flagship theaters and a vibrant center for community and the performing arts. Located on the campus of Princeton University, the independent nonprofit serves as a nationally renowned, multi-disciplinary creative hub for arts and ideas, offering theatre, music, dance, spoken word, and education programs for all ages.
A two-time Tony Award winner, McCarter's legacy of artistic excellence dates back to 1930. Thornton Wilder's Our Town, George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart's You Can't Take It with You, and William Inge's Bus Stop all premiered on the McCarter stage.
McCarter is equally revered for presenting global artists including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Yo-Yo Ma, Samara Joy, Hasan Minhaj, Jon Stewart, Caetano Veloso, Rhiannon Giddens, Patti Smith, Esperanza Spalding, Lake Street Dive, and Herbie Hancock.
Each year, more than 5,000 students participate in McCarter's educational programs across the region. McCarter creates experiences that enliven minds, expand imaginations, and engage communities.
