Music Hall Transforms The Loft into Cool Lounge

A rendering of The Music Hall Lounge. (Courtesy)

The Music Hall in Portsmouth spent the pandemic rehauling its smaller theater space into The Music Hall Lounge, offering a nightclub vibe with flexible seating, a bar and food service, and large windows that allow people strolling along the street to get a glimpse of the action inside.

Formerly known as The Loft, The Music Hall Lounge will have some soft opening events in June with a grand opening in July featuring Darlingside.

Executive Director Tina Sawtelle says The Music Hall, a 900-seat venue and the oldest theater in NH, bought a small retail space on Congress Street 11 years ago and transformed it into a small black box theater to host movies, comedians, writer events and smaller performances.

The problem was it had fixed seats and once the audience was seated, many felt they could not get up and move around, Sawtelle says. “Patrons felt boxed in. They did not feel comfortable to get up and grab another drink from the bar or even go to the bathroom,” she says. Also, no one could see into the venue from the street, leaving what was going on a mystery to the average passer-by, she says.

Tina Sawtelle, The Music Hall executive director, and Monte Bohanan, director of communications and community engagement. (Courtesy photo)

“The Loft historically brought in about, in the best years, $190,000 of gross revenue in ticket sales and concessions. It would have struggled to operate on its own,” Sawtelle says.

When the pandemic forced The Music Hall to shutter both venues, Sawtelle’s team began reassessing The Loft space. While The Music Hall began offering performances again within a few months with a new HVAC system, the team decided to keep The Loft closed and to use $1.3 million in COVID relief and stimulus funds to renovate and make it a more inviting space. “We’re using this in true stimulus fashion to sustain our business into the future,” Sawtelle says.

Renovations began in September 2021 with updated lighting and audiovisual equipment, a fireplace, tables and chairs and other comfortable seating throughout the 100-seat venue to give it a cabaret feel.

Sawtelle says giving those walking by the ability to see what is going on inside will attract more walk-ins, and the new seating configuration will make people more comfortable to enjoy the bar during shows and generate more revenue. With tweaks to programming to include more comedy shows that have proven popular with audiences needing to laugh during these trying times, Sawtelle says The Music Hall Lounge is expected to significantly increase its revenue.

For more information, visit TheMusicHall.org.