‘Project Encore’ to reimagine future of legendary Columbus theater

COLUMBUS, Ind. — For more than a century, the Crump Theatre has been a staple of downtown Columbus, giving residents access to live performances, movies and other arts-centered programming.

In 2025, a new project aims to develop the theater as a performing arts center.

Officials with the Heritage Fund, the community foundation of Bartholomew County, launched “Project Encore” on Wednesday with the support of the Columbus Capital Foundation, the owner of the building, according to a news release.

Crump’s “New Theatre” first opened in 1889 by John Crump, one of Columbus’s first to host opera and vaudeville events. The 1920s renovation to the theater helped the site host movies. The release said the building was acquired by the Columbus Capital Foundation in 1992 and ceased operations as a dollar theater in 1997.

The release said that the theater officially closed in 2014 after “mechanical issues became too costly to repair.”

“Project Encore is the next building block to restore The Crump’s position back to the cultural community hub it was well over a century ago,” said Steve Sanders, the project manager for Project Encore. “The building has withstood decades of neglect only because of the selfless efforts of volunteers, donors and philanthropic individuals who have always believed in its potential for a comeback. Now the exciting work of bringing our vision of providing something entirely new for Columbus out of one of our oldest assets can begin!”

Last year, the fund commissioned a study of the demand for live entertainment and performing arts in the community. The release said the study determined that the best route for the city of Columbus is to focus on its “current catalog of underutilized venues,” including the Crump.

The release said new plans for the venue include a 700- to 750-seat venue including a fully operational balcony, expanded lobby areas and outdoor areas, event space, programming for regional touring acts as well as state-of-the-art lighting and sound.

“The Crump has been a fixture in our downtown streetscape for over 135 years. Since its decline in the 1970s and ’80s, we’ve studied it multiple times to better understand what we can and should do with it,” said Tracy Souza, the president and chief executive officer of the Heritage Fund. “In the past 18 months, we’ve done a deep dive into the performing arts needs of our region through professional surveying and market data collection to determine how The Crump fits into that picture, and we feel confident that it can play a vital role for generations to come.”

To establish the project, the Heritage Fund awarded a $50,000 grant that was matched by private funds. The release said that the goal is to create a 501(c)3 nonprofit entity and form its board of directors before a capital campaign begins. Initial concept renderings for the theater are expected to be released in the coming weeks.

Community members believe that the restoration of the Crump Theatre could be a “game-changer” for the city and the surrounding region.

“Entertainment is a powerful driver of tourism, contributing to economic growth of a community,” Misty Weisensteiner, the executive director of the Columbus Area Visitors Center, said in the release. “A fully restored, programmed Crump Theatre would not only honor our community’s rich architectural and cultural history but also create a new reason for visitors to discover Columbus.”

For more information about the Crump Theatre as well as Project Encore, click here.