Special to the Herald

The historic Park Theater will be reopening its doors this October.

The theater — which temporarily closed last year — is set to host multiple shows this fall, with more to be announced, the venue’s owners promised on Tuesday.

The upcoming shows include Jim Henson’s Labyrinth: In Concert on Oct. 4, Chazz Palminteri — A Bronx Tale Live on Oct. 18, Lonestar on Nov. 16, Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes on Dec. 7 and The Irish Tenors on Dec. 8.

The historic theater is under new management by Spectacle Live, a New England-based venue company that manages 11 theaters throughout Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.

Spectacle Live Chief Operating Officer Brandon Caron said Cranston will have access to new opportunities under the company’s management.

“What it allows us to do is put this market in place with places like Plymouth, Cape Cod, New Hampshire, who are doing a lot of great shows and allow us to be able to work with agents and tours to put together some nice routes that would (give) Cranston the access to shows that it normally wouldn’t have,” he said.

“We can bring that strength here from a programming perspective, as well as working with many of the great existing arts organizations here in the community of Cranston to make this place where both national touring acts and the community theater and arts programs can have success alike,” Caron added.

Both the Park Theater team and Mayor Kenneth Hopkins expressed excitement about what the theater means for Cranston’s economy.

“It’s certainly worth noting that along with the Park Theater’s success comes continued success for our local economy and the businesses along Rolfe Street,” he said at a Tuesday press conference. “Increased foot traffic and tourism will likely lead to more (business) for local shops restaurants, hotels and further boosting our local Cranston economy.”

Hopkins also applauded the Park Theater as a “symbol of hope, resilience and the transformative power of the arts.”

Hopkins helped with parking, coordinated public safety and held meetings between Ed Brady, the Park’s owner, and Spectacle Live in his office, but there is no financial commitment from the city, he said.

Hopkins said the theater reopening “fills a void” and called the area surrounding the theater an “art district.”

Rhode Island native Sara Shevlin will be acting as the Park Theater’s venue manager, with a stated goal “to create a sustainable operation that will have a positive impact on the residents, businesses and overall Cranston community by attracting more visitors from outside into Cranston, creating new employment opportunities and, of course, introducing some fantastic live entertainment.”

Shevlin said the team is working on booking tours and making operational improvements.

At the moment, the team is “focused on getting the theater up and running again” and “reopening to ensure that sustainable operation not only for the next few months, but the next several years,” Shevlin said, but is looking to work with local community organizations.

Citywide Councilwoman Nicole Renzulli (R) expressed her support for the theater at the press conference Wednesday, offering her help to coordinate local partnerships.

Tickets for this fall’s events go on sale Friday, July 19 at 10 a.m., available both at the Theater’s box office and online at www.theparkri.com.