The Foster Theater is open for business once again.

Built in 1915 and gone through many iterations since—vaudeville venue, movie house, piano showroom, abandoned property —the theater at 5444 SE Foster Road was recently renovated by Classical Ballet Academy next door.

Southeast Foster Road was home to a cluster of movie and vaudeville theaters in the early 1900s, so this is something of a return to form. This building was once known as the Day Theater. Sarah Rigles, director and owner of CBA and the Foster Theater, held a grand opening party earlier this month to celebrate the completion of the $3.5 million renovation.

“So many neighbors stopped by that had a connection to the space and wanted to see how it turned out,” Rigles says.

About 500 people attended the Nov. 8 grand opening

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