Park Theatre will reopen this spring with an assortment of dining and entertainment options for guests. Owners Ed Brady and Jeff Quinlan of Dig In Dining & Entertainment Restaurant Group announced their vision for the future to a crowd of 200 people outside the historic theatre on Tuesday morning.

“There are so many great things on this street next to us and we hope to complement the existing businesses around us and have some fun through the process,” said Brady in an interview with the Herald on Feb. 3.

Local and state officials came to support the event including Governor Daniel McKee, Mayor Kenneth Hopkins, former Cranston Mayor Allan Fung, Steve Feinberg of the Rhode Island Film and TV Office, Rick Simone of the Ocean State Coalition and Jimmy Burchfield Sr. of CES Classic Entertainment & Sports.

“Park Theatre is significant for Cranston’s cultural identity,” said McKee

Mayor Hopkins expressed how thoughts on revitalizing Rolfe Square began six years ago and that Park Theatre is the final piece of the puzzle.

“Park Theatre will foster joy in the City of Cranston and the state of Rhode Island,” Hopkins said.

Brady and Quinlan’s dedication has not gone unnoticed, as mentioned by Hopkins, Simone and Burchfield.

City Council President Christopher Paplauskas spoke of Brady and Quinlans’ hard work, saying he used to deliver linens to different restaurants – one of them being the Thirsty Beaver which Brady and Quinlan owned. Paplauskas said whether it was 8 a.m. or 8 p.m., the two were hard at work, and will make Cranston proud with the passion and vision they will bring to Park Theatre.

Brady, a former Cranston council member, grew up in Westwood and is the co-owner of Dig In Dining & Entertainment Restaurant Group – owning the Thirsty Beaver in Cranston, Smithfield and Foxboro along with Huck’s Filling Station in East Greenwich. Quinlan, who started in the restaurant industry at age 25, currently owns seven restaurants and will have an eighth by the end of the year.

Former Park Theatre owner Pi Patel said Brady and Quinlan were the right people to sell to and that he rejected many buyers. Patel reopened the building in 2009 after investing millions into renovations. The pandemic put a close to the facility in 2020, leading to Brady’s eventual purchase of the building.

“We love coming up with a dream and keeping it right here in Rhode Island and making R.I. our own Hollywood,” said Brady.

The Vision

Starting with the first floor, Brady plans to open a cafe called the Park Place Cafe which will be open for breakfast and lunch – while also serving late-night pizza, drinks and cocktails on the weekends. Attached to the cafe is the theatre’s comedy club, Comedy Park. Brady said he is working with Bill Simas and Mike Murray who founded Funny 4 Funds – a charity that uses comedy to raise money for cases; the two will perform on the new stage that is being built in the room.

Above Comedy Park, on the second floor, will be a supper club called The Rolfe which Brady said will have old Hollywood vibes.

“It’s a place where you can dress up and enjoy a show while you’re having dinner,” Brady said.

Everything from jazz and magic to dinner and dancing are some of the ideas Brady has for the space. Brady and Quinlan are rebuilding the room’s stage and constructing an additional stage, with booths set alongside the windows; there will also be a bar that overlooks City Hall. With some repairs to roofing and adding a sound system for music, the space will eventually be available for rental.

Finishing The Rolfe is phase two of the Park Theatre’s ongoing reopening process. Brady anticipates the restaurant will be ready for guests in the summer or spring, but the current priority is preparing the downstairs theatre and dining options ready for guests.

The theatre will seat 1,050, with roughly 750 seats downstairs and the rest in the mezzanine. Park Theatre is looking to provide entertainment in music, comedy and the arts and has started booking dance recitals for June.

“There’s definitely some entertainers that people are going to be excited for,” Brady said.

Brady mentioned that Park Theatre wants to work with local theatre productions to showcase the city’s future talent; they’re also looking into providing after school theatre programs.

Those who opt for movies rather than live theatre will enjoy the nostalgic movie nights that Brady would like to host on the theatre’s massive projector which comes down like a backdrop which covers almost the entire stage. Throwbacks such as Jaws or the Rocky series have all been played at Park Theatre in the past, and Brady wants to show them again in the space and recreate that sense of nostalgia.

Brady and Quinlan would eventually like to implement a podcast studio that they could open up to the community. Park Theatre would produce some of the initial shows to work out any kinks.

The two have made technological updates since former Park Theatre owner, Pi Patel, last updated the theatre’s equipment in 2009. The theatre is switching from an analog to digital system for sound and lighting.

The two are also responsive about receiving community feedback – with plans to post online surveys and hold listening sessions. Brady said he is already receiving messages about things people would love to see again as well as new things.

“This isn’t our theatre, this is everyone’s theatre,” Brady said.

As for parking, Brady said the theatre can use the lot behind City Hall – which is across the street from the theatre. They are also in the process of contracting additional parking options with hopes of eventually offering valet services in the future.

Awaiting the reopening

“I’m excited but nervous in the best way possible,” Brady said in regard to opening to the public. “This is the biggest investment of my life.”

A lifetime Cranstonian, Brady attended Stone Hill Elementary School, Western Hills Middle School, Cranston High School West and graduated from Bryant University where he earned a degree in marketing and played on the institution’s hockey team. Brady grew up going to the Park Theatre with his father and brother.

Brady is grateful for Quinlan and others who invested and continue to invest in him throughout this process. He said former Park Theatre owner, Pi Patel, has been great to work with and that there is a lot of beauty in the renovations he did years ago. Patel said he invested $15 million into Park Theatre renovations when he was owner.

“We need to figure out a way to continue to excite ourselves and continue to reignite our passions and dreams and get our blood flowing and find joy in the time we have on earth. If we learned anything from covid it’s the importance of time and how we spend it and who we spend it with,” Brady said

Brady said he and Quinlan will hopefully carry on traditions and start new legacies for people to talk about and enjoy the space with family and friends.

“I learned a lot of my life lessons watching TV, theatre, movies and going to shows; it allowed me to dream. I want to make sure this future generation here in Cranston dreams,” Brady said..