Today, they are auditioning for Agatha Christie's "Spider's Web."

On Saturday, there will be an anniversary celebrated.

October's schedule is light, but November's is filling rapidly. Imagine concert pianist Ian Shopinsky and the bluegrass stylings of Monroe Crossing all in the same week?

Then comes December with Michael Veldman and Friends competing for attention with their Christmas music with the Mill Pond Players' adaptation of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."

Who said the Paramount Theatre couldn't tempt audiences?

It did Saturday night, when every seat in the house was filled and ovation after ovation cascaded from the audience to the performers on the stage for the Celebration Concert.

And you thought all those cars parked up and down 4th Avenue Northeast were

waiting for tonight's Austin City Council meeting.

Not hardly.

Owned by the Austin Area Commission for the Arts, the Paramount Theater is listed on the National Register of Historical Places.

In southeastern Minnesota, it's listed on Everybody's Register of Favorite Places.

Built in 1929, the famed movie palace has been restored to some of its original magnificence. There is more to be done — When will those twinkling stars wink at audiences from the ceiling above? —

but the AACA has made huge progress in its ambitious plans.

A celebration was a fitting event Saturday night in Austin to reflect on that progress.

Co-chairpersons, Austin Mayor Bonnie Rietz and the Rev. Beth Johnson, welcomed guests.

Rietz and Johnson praised the donors who helped make the restoration project so successful.

It was a varied list. Both the city of Austin and Mower County each donated $50,000 to the project, the "heavy-hitters" like Hormel Foods Corporation and Hormel Foundation, s well as Weyerhaeuser Foundation, also assisted generously and there were individual gifts such as that of Virginia Wilder, who donated money for the glitzy marquee outside the theater building.

But Rietz and Johnson praised all the donors of contributions of any size for making the restoration possible.

That list to date includes

over 600 individuals and over 100 businesses, whose names fill both sides of

a sheet of paper with their single-spaced names and literally run "A" for Jerry and Lynn Adwell to "Z" for

Zrucky's Car-Nu Auto Body."

The contribution of $25,000 from Allen Anderson of Rochester on behalf of a private foundation shared equal billing with that of McConnell's Ice Cream of Santa Barbara.

Long-time friends of the restoration project such as Esther Pleahal and her late-husband Burt, were thanked by Rietz and Johnson.

George Orcutt, age 90 and present at the opening of the Paramount Theatre 72 years ago received an ovation.

Video tributes also recalled the Paramount's early years and how the theater influenced lives throughout the generations.

Dick McIntosh, the 2002 restoration campaign chairman, looked visibly nervous and tickled-pink at the same time as he announced the restoration fund drive has reached the $308,000 mark.

There are plans to expand the stage area, build a scene construction shop, dressing rooms and "green room" for special guest artists and carpeting.

But the literally stunning Spanish atmospheric design and icy cool air conditioning are proof-positive

Penelope Lively was right when she observed this about historic preservation: "It's the interesting combination of silence and eloquence. We both take ourselves with it and leave ourselves behind within it."

No wonder the pleasure of accomplishing so much was alive Saturday night/

Not to mention the entertainment.

Co-hosts Kaye Perry and Michael Veldman performed tirelessly and seemingly effortlessly from start to finish. Perry sings, dances and … well … looks great. Veldman's voice is impressive and he shows a talent for comedy as well. His Governor Jesse impersonation was right on.

The Paramount Trio showcased the talents of Denise Condon, Sonia Larson and Dori Schou. Condon sparkled with her Kate Smith

imitation and a powerful rendition of "God Bless America."

But, the obvious crowd favorite was The Perfect Four, a quartet of Ray Bissen, Nate Moser, Ben Peterson and Eric Morlan.

Alternating barbershop quartet music stylings with 1950s doo-wop, the foursome was fearsome

But despite the performers best efforts — They were all good — they still paled in comparison with the building for which so much affection is held.

When Janet Anderson, co-founder of the Paramount restoration project, joined others in recognizing contributors and milestones in the decade old effort on stage, her one word description of the building, the SRO audience and the entertainment seemed eloquent.

Anderson simply said, "Wow!" and the loud ovation that followed said everybody in the packed house was a Paramount lover that night.

(Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at

lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com)