When comedian Jim Gaffigan filmed his Netflix special at the Palace Theatre in September 2017, producers had to use "a lot of special lighting" to make the 90-year-old auditorium appear less rundown.

When he returns to perform Friday night, no such lightning will be necessary, thanks to roughly $2.5 million in renovations completed since May by the venue's owner and operator, the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts.

The Palace closed May 11 for the upgrades. Gaffigan's appearance marks the first public performance there in nearly six months.

Todd Bemis, CAPA's vice president of operations, can't wait to show off the auditorium's new paint (chosen to match original colors), repaired decorative plaster, upgraded seats and LED lighting. The work represents the first major renovation of the theater in 34 years.

"It's brighter and brings a richness to the theater that was missing," Bemis said. "The work is much more respectful of what the theater looked like when the Palace opened in 1926 as a vaudeville house."

The recent makeover continues the organization's ongoing $6.5 million capital campaign to fund a full theater renovation, which began in mid-2017 with a new roof and heating system. Over the past three years CAPA has raised more than $5 million — including nearly $1 million in federal tax credits — to fund the renovations, said its president, Chad Whittington.

The group plans to raise the remaining $1.5 million in the coming months to replace the front doors, enhance security and remodel the mezzanine-level men's bathrooms and concession area.

But the beauty of the work that's already been completed can't be underestimated, Whittington said.

"It took my breath away the first time I stood on the stage and saw the color choices, the detail, the seats — it looks like a new theater," Whittington said.

Repairing wall plaster and painting the main hall was a tremendous undertaking that required the expertise of contractors who specialize in historical restorations. "There was not a surface we did not touch on the walls, ceiling and doors," Bemis said

EverGreene Architectural Arts, based in Chicago, offered technology that could detect the first layer of paint on the surfaces and identify a color to match, Bemis said, enabling a mostly authentic restoration.

Intricate designs that have been carved in the walls and ceilings since 1926 now "pop" against the new color scheme.

"I've had people comment, 'Oh, that's nice you added those details,'" Bemis said. "That was already there. You can just see them now."

The new paint job should be more pleasing to visitors' eyes, but their backsides also should notice a difference.

For the first time since the early 1980s, every seat on the main floor was replaced, and two-thirds of those seats received more leg room and cup holders, Bemis said. Seats on the balcony were refurbished with new cushions and fabric. The theater lost about 130 of its 2,827 seats — all on the floor — because of the upgrades.

Other additions this past summer included a new LED lighting system in the aisles as well as the dome and main chandelier, and the repair of the auditorium's 14 sets of exit doors.

Also, the entire area got a good scrubbing by scores of volunteers, Bemis said.

"They've been a godsend," he said of the men and women who typically serve as ushers. "They provided so much labor."

John and Susan Sather, of the Northwest Side, didn't know what to expect when they responded to a call for volunteers to clean chandeliers.

They and other volunteers refurbished 70 light fixtures and chandeliers in the main hall. They each gave 76 hours over three months to the cause and were delighted to be a part of the process.

"We got to see it in stages," Susan Sather said. "They just transformed it. The colors previously were washed out, but with the new colors and patterns, it's stunningly beautiful."

Their work speaks to the generosity of the community, Whittington said. The theater received a mix of individual and corporate donations and continues to look for fundraising opportunities, including naming rights, he said.

"Obviously, a lot of people understand the value of the Palace Theatre," he said. "We're reaching out and making sure we can keep this theater in good shape for the next 30 years."

award@dispatch.com

@AllisonAWard