Our portion of the Steel river playhouse renovation encompasses a flowing steel mesh façade and a high-tech marquee, engaging the outdoor plaza and lobby finishes. An adaptive reuse of a former department store to a community supported theater, Steel River Playhouse gets its name from the town’s history of steel manufacturing. The angled and curved steel mesh panels are dramatically lit up at night in purples, greens, and reds, drawing the public in while virtually disappearing during the day to accentuate the 1920’s terra cotta façade and historic streetscape.

The transition from exterior to interior is punctuated by internally lit outdoor seating coordinated with in-ground step lighting and lobby lighting flush with the floor, enticing visitors to the funky urban interior of original hardwood floors, brick and cement walls, and raw wood joists. Exposed I-beams stamped with the iconic “Bethlehem Steel” are highlighted, paying homage to the theater’s connection to the creative revitalization of Pottstown’s historic downtown.