The new year promises to put return live performances to the State Theater building in Auburn.

The theater opened Dec. 26, 1930, serving primarily as a movie house since then. But everything from vaudeville to magic to music also graced the floorboards of the art deco style theater.

With the recent departure of the Old State Theater movie business from the two screening rooms, the Auburn non-profit organization that owns the building is making plans to put a small theater in place, possibly by the spring.

Paul Ogden, president of the Auburn Placer Performing Arts Center, said the organization is considering a “modest startup” with live performances and films.

With a $3.5 million price estimate to construct a 447-seat theater with a small stage inside the Lincoln Way building, Ogden said that the Performing Arts Center group doesn’t have the financial means at this time to move ahead on that project.

But two options – establishing a smaller theater on one of the screening rooms, or a more costlier wall teardown to create a larger space – are under consideration.

Establishing the smaller theater would entail moving the seats from the other room over to create an intimate performance setting that would hold 140 people. Removal of the center wall – which was erected during renovations in the early 1970s – could allow a capacity of possibly 500, Ogden said.

“While we have had success in fund raisers, we’re still not flush with cash so when we spend the money we want to do it on the right option,” Ogden said.

The performing arts group worked five years to purchase the theater in 2006. Before the 1972 remodel, the theater was an expansive 1,325-seat movie house with a balcony and plenty of early 20th century charm.

The group’s goal is to eventually reconstruct the theater into a medium sized performing arts venue, with seating for 648, including a mezzanine.

Ron Ravo, the Performing Arts Center group’s vice president, said that March or April would be a realistic target for live performances to start taking place at the State Theater.

No major construction would be needed to set up a performing arts space with small stage on the eastern side of the building, he said.

While the organization would stage performances and bring in acts, the space would also be available to entrepreneurs interesting in doing shows, he said.

Rentals could be for performances and practices ranging from live music to drama to theater, as well as films, lectures and even travelogues.

“We’ll keep it affordable for the community,” Ravo said.

Discussion has also focused on putting on a film series, now that the Old State Theater no longer occupies the two screening rooms.

Ravo said inquiries are already coming in about using the space.

“We’re like an infant, moving from the crawling stage to toddler stage,” Ravo said. “Now we’re building up momentum.”

The Journal’s Gus Thomson can be reached at gust@goldcountrymedia.com.