Newly renovated with 357 seats, the Astra has main level and balcony seating with a concessions stand offering snacks, local craft and domestic beer, and wine that are available for purchase.
About The Astra
The historic Astra Theatre first opened in 1936 and operated as a family-owned movie theater for the next 66 years. Despite reconfiguring the theatre in the mid-1980s to create a duplex cinema, the pressure to compete with larger multiplex cinemas too great. On September 12, 2002, the Astra Theatre closed its doors.
Over the next 12 years or so, a number of parties came forward with an interest in purchasing the theater, but, given the massive cost of infrastructure and renovation improvements, none were successful and the building remained vacant until December 2, 2015, when Next Act, Inc., purchased and took possession of the building.
After fundraising efforts that included a $400,000 historic preservation grant from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs, the Astra went through a complete renovation from May 2017 to April 2018. The renovation, totaling nearly $1.7 million, replaced all major infrastructure (electric to and throughout the building, plumbing, HVAC units and ductwork) while also allowing for the installation of a new accessible restroom on the first floor, an expanded stage, new seating throughout, re-opening the balcony, new sound and lights, a new men’s restroom, a renovated women’s restroom, a new concessions area, new doors, a refurbished marquee, new doors, refurbished windows, and on and on. Essentially, the Astra is a new 82-year-old facility.
2019 Season Lineup
3/22 – Iris DeMent with opening act Pieta Brown.
4/12 – Comedian Costaki Economopoulos
4/20 – 30th-anniversary screening of Major League
5/18 – Singer, songwriter, guitarist Cris Jacobs
6/1 – Screening of Mary Poppins
7/20 – Rock Lotto – 12 local musicians are divided into three bands and perform five songs each.
Address
517 Main Street, Jasper, IN 47546
Phone
(812) 566-1935
Website
Need a place to stay after the show? Nearby lodging can be found here.