TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER: Before renovations of the State Theatre in New Brunswick gets underway, the historic auditorium is auctioning off some of its seats.

State Theatre New Jersey has begun extensive renovations to its historic auditorium in anticipation of its 100th Anniversary in 2021. As part of the renovation, STNJ is auctioning off 20 historic theater seat pairs, seven VIP box seats, and 23 VIP orchestra pit seats.

Proceeds from the Seat Auction will benefit State Theatre’s Next Stage Campaign renovation plans aimed at ensuring accessibility throughout the theater and safety for all, including an elevator for access to all theater levels; upgrading patron amenities throughout the theater, backstage areas, and production equipment; and improving efficiencies in systems to reduce operational costs.

The Seat Auction bidding ends at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, October 30. Each item will go to the highest bidder. Winners will be contacted by a State Theatre representative by email on November 3 for pickup arrangements. An official certificate of authenticity from State Theatre New Jersey will accompany each item.  

The historic State Theatre New Jersey seat pairs have a patent date stamped on the cast-iron interior side of the seats as October 8, 1929. They were fabricated by the American Seating Company (also noted for their seats in Radio City Music Hall, the Metropolitan Opera, Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, the original Yankee Stadium, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and the United States Senate chamber). The seats come as connected pairs and feature solid wood arm rests (with brass seat number plaques), curved plywood backs, plush red upholstered fabric, and black cast-iron frames with cast-iron period end standards. They can be free-standing or mounted on a floor.  

The VIP box seats feature a solid wood frame and red upholstered fabric with a rounded back. The seats were used in State Theatre’s VIP Loge Boxes and considered the best in the house.  The VIP orchestra pit single seats feature a solid wood frame, red upholstered fabric, and squared back. These seats were considered one of the best in the historic State Theatre New Jersey’s house and were placed over the theater’s orchestra pit when the pit was not in use; the closest one can get to the stage.  

To view and bid on the State Theatre seats, visit https://STNJSeatAuction.givesmart.com.