MANSFIELD — The Renaissance Theatre auditorium will be getting the star treatment this summer.
The seats will be removed and replaced, the flooring resurfaced and the iconic ornamental plaster ceiling redone, said Chelsie Thompson, president and CEO of the Renaissance Performing Arts Association.
But the floor-to-ceiling renovations will cost the theatre one of its hallmark events in 2026.
This year’s Miss Ohio competition will take place at Ashland High School from June 17 to 20.
Miss Ohio Executive Director Steven Olivieri said it will be “bittersweet” to host the program outside of the Renaissance.
“We love the Renaissance,” Olivieri said. “We’re thrilled and excited to see the Renaissance leadership continue to invest in the theater and make it better and better.
“Everything that benefits the theatre itself benefits Miss Ohio and benefits the community,” he added.
The Miss Ohio Scholarship Program has hosted its pageant in Mansfield since 1977. The event has taken place at the Renaissance Theatre since 1980.
The competition is often credited with helping spur the revitalization of the building, formerly known as the Ohio Theatre.
Ashland City Schools leader: District is ‘honored’ to be interim host
Thompson said not hosting Miss Ohio 2026 was a hard decision to make — and one the Renaissance tried to avoid. But summer is ultimately the best time to have the renovations done.
“It was something we kind of went back and forth on,” she said.
“With us having 160 individual events that happen here and our season being September through June, we didn’t see any other time when we could make it work without significantly impacting our mission.”
Thompson said the Miss Ohio organization has been supportive of the project and plans to return in 2027.
Meanwhile, other Miss Ohio week traditions like the parade, appearances at Richland Carrousel Park and visits to various civic organizations, will still take place in Mansfield.
“The closest place that had the seating capacity and the technology for us to put on a high-level show was the Archer Auditorium (in Ashland),” Olivieri said. “We’re excited that it’s available and there for us to use this summer.”
Superintendent Steve Paramore of Ashland City Schools said the district is honored to host the pageant in the interim. He pointed out that Melanie Miller, an Ashland resident and Ohio State Representative, was once crowned Miss Ohio.
“I think people understand that the Miss Ohio pageant is synonymous with female leaders in our state and that’s what we’re about — creating the next generation of leaders, not only in our community, but in the world,” Paramore said.
“We think it will bring a lot of light, not only to the community, but to Ashland High School and Ashland City Schools.”
The contest will take place in Ashland High School’s Archer Auditorium, which Paramore described as “state-of-the-art.” He said the event won’t disrupt any school activities, as it takes place in June.
Archer Auditorium was constructed in 2015 and has 1,004 seats, Paramore said.
The Renaissance currently has 1,402 seats, but will have 1,050 after this spring’s renovation.
Renovated Renaissance auditorium will have wider seats, more legroom
The Renaissance Theatre’s auditorium renovations will begin in mid-May.
Thompson said the seats are original and were last reupholstered in the 1980s. The historic metal end caps that grace the outside edges of each row will be refurbished and reinstalled, but the chairs will be new.
The seating plan will also change slightly to allow for wider seats and more legroom as well as VIP and accessible seating.
The color of the seats will change from red to blue, Thompson said, to better match the rest of the auditorium’s decor.
The work is part of the organization’s “Road to 100” initiative — a wide-ranging effort to renovate and restore the facility leading up to its centennial in 2028.
Thompson said the goal of the initiative is to improve safety and accessibility, invest in upgrades that support the local arts scene and preserve the historic theatre.
“It’s more about the stewardship and looking ahead,” she said. “Celebration is great, but sustainability is more important.”
The Renaissance received two state grants, each worth $500,000, to help cover the cost of the work.