Exclusive: Theatre N is getting a high-tech makeover

Theatre N, downtown Wilmington’s longtime arthouse movie theater located inside the Nemours Building, will soon undergo a state-of-the-art renovation, with the help of The Mill.

The theater has had a connection to The Mill ever since the coworking space, which now lives on the fourth and seventh floors of the Nemours, was founded by Robert Herrera in 2015. It was even called The Mill Auditorium for use as an event space when not in use as a movie theater, though the name didn’t really stick — when The Mill started using the theater for things like comedy nights and live music, it stuck with calling it Theatre N.

The new Theatre N will include state-of-the-art technology, additional gathering space and a full bar build-out.

“Theatre N has seen a recent history of rebranding, and we are continuing to bring this landmark into the 21st century,” Herrera told Technical.ly. “Over the next quarter, the theater will operate minimally, as fundraising efforts and renovations take place. We are ‘dark’ — but not for long.”

Theatre N nearly shut down several years ago, when the City of Wilmington discontinued programming at the theater. At that time, Bob Weir and Beverly Zimmerman stepped in to fill the roles of manager, director and projectionist.

“Bob’s continued efforts have maintained Theatre N’s standing as Wilmington’s arthouse cinema, encouraging rentals and special events to expand the theater’s offerings,” said Herrera. “Taking over the role of technical director is Jamie MacPherson, a technician and production manager with decades of industry experience including several years with Theatre N.”

Along with the renovations, Theatre N will also have a new board, which has yet to be announced.

“We are confident that the theater will be better than ever when it reopens,” Herrera said. “We have listened to feedback from the community and artists alike, and look forward to fulfilling everyone’s vision for an arthouse cinema theatre, programming space and community networking ground.”

Current Theatre N staff members will be kept on, and the theatre will be hiring for new positions in the coming months. Job openings will be posted on Theatre N’s Instagram.