Anyone who has ever caught a show at the State Theatre in New Brunswick will find that it will look a bit different the next time they visit.

The theater is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a fresh new look.

“I want people to remember how elegant and wonderful it is to go to live performances. I want them to feel safe,” says president and CEO Sarah Chaplin.

Renovations began while the theater was closed during COVID-19 lockdowns. There will be new chairs and carpet in the 1,800-seat auditorium, and an elevator was installed. There is also a remodeled lobby and an upgraded HVAC system.

“Once we have an audience in here for the first time this Friday, it will all come together and feel right,” Chaplin says.

The theater was a vaudeville and movie house and eventually fell into disrepair. It was restored in the 1980s.

The $24 million renovation was founded by donors and Middlesex County, which owns the building. It will now present music, comedy and family programing.

To honor the past, the theater played the silent film “White Oak” on Wednesday night. It was the film that played when the theater opened 100 years ago.

The theater will require a COVID-19 vaccine or negative test for audience members. There are also security screens to minimize contact with the virus.