A historic New Jersey theater reopened its mainstage Friday night for its first public performance since the pandemic began.

Rod Picot’s performance at The Strand in Lakewood marked a milestone for the singer-songwriter. Not only is it Picot’s first performance of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it was also the first time an audience gathered in the nearly-century old venue.

“It’s exciting. I just have to remember that I know how to do this. It’s like getting on a bicycle, you know?" Picot says.

The nonprofit theater is known for hosting concerts and comedy shows, drawing its audience mainly from greater Ocean and Monmouth counties.

Friday was the launch of a concert series appropriately called “Shaking Off the Cobwebs,” a reference to the long closure that kept the audience at home.

Two more concerts are scheduled for this weekend. COVID-19 protocols are listed on The Strand’s website. Masks are optional and proof of a vaccine is not required.