The Princess Theatre is undoubtedly one of the crown jewels of South Pittsburg, TN. This classic venue, akin to the Capitol Theaters in Lebanon and Maryville, TN, represents a bygone era of theatres that simply aren’t made anymore. Originally opened in the late 1920s as the Palace Theatre, it underwent a name change in the 1930s to become the Princess Theatre we know today. Over the decades, it has witnessed a lot of life and love, with restoration campaigns working to preserve its charm while updating it for modern use.
Most recently, the South Pittsburg City Commission approved a grant application from the Tennessee Department of Tourism Enhancement Grant Program to secure further funding for the theatre’s continued restoration. These funds have been allocated toward new stage flooring and electronic message centers. Previously, the theatre relied on manually interchangeable lettering for its signage, which required significant upkeep to update. The new digital displays will streamline this process, making it much easier for the city to manage marquee messages.
In 2024, Ortwein Sign partnered with South Pittsburg, working alongside City Manager Gene Vess, to refresh the theatre’s marquee and poster signs. Our team designed, fabricated, and installed the new signage to match the theatre’s historic look while incorporating state-of-the-art digital displays.
The new electronic message centers feature a 10mm pixel pitch and a resolution of 144 pixels high by 96 pixels wide, providing a vivid, eye-catching display for passersby both day and night.
If you’re considering a digital display for your church, theatre, or business, contact Ortwein Sign! We design, fabricate, and install signs to provide a seamless, turn-key experience. Plus, when you purchase a digital message center from us, you get a 7-year parts warranty included!
