Seattle Theatre and Paramount Theatre

The People’s Theatre

The Puget Sound is renowned both for being a global tech hub and for its vibrant arts scene. The creativity imbued in these vastly different fields nourishes the region, building a hotbed of innovation and expression.  While Microsoft work focuses on the horizon of what is next, it also values the history and honors the paths that led us to today. In many cities across the U.S. historic theaters have been torn down. While some have been lost across the Pacific Northwest, Seattle Theatre Group (STG) has preserved and operates three historic landmark venues—the Neptune, the Moore, and the Paramount—in addition to the recently acquired Kerry Hall. And it was a Microsoft alumnus, Ida Cole, that ignited this decades long commitment to preservation.   

During a rock concert in 1992, retired Microsoft vice president Ida Cole became enamored of Seattle’s historic Paramount Theatre. She looked beyond the need for repairs and rumors of demolition, recognizing the theater’s vital role in the city’s arts and culture community. Cole personally invested $30 million for the purchase and restoration of the Paramount, rallied former Microsoft colleagues to contribute another $29 million toward its renovation, championed a community-wide fundraising campaign and then in 2002 transferred ownership of the theater to STG. 

“We call the Paramount the People’s Theatre, and that idea came from Ida. We try to make a place where everyone, regardless of who you are or where you come from, can have a memorable arts experience,” says Rachel Liuzzi, public relations manager at Seattle Theatre Group.  

Microsoft gifted STG $25,000 in Ida Cole’s honor when the company named her the 2013 Integral Fellows Award winner. “The unrestricted grant recognized Ida’s work as a Microsoft alumnus who dedicated her life to creating something extraordinary, and who was doing something powerful to help change the world again,” says Maura Ahearne, development director at Seattle Theatre Group.  

While the Paramount looks much as it did when it opened in the 1920s, it has boldly stepped into the future as a modern destination theater. “STG would not be what it is today without the Paramount. It embodies Ida’s fearless commitment and love for the arts,” Liuzzi says. 

Diversity of thought often is the spark that leads to breakthroughs. Similarly, in the performing arts, the entire field is moved forward when more people are welcomed to the stage, the recording booth, the rehearsal space, and even the audience itself. Microsoft supports arts organizations like STG that make a concerted effort to expand access to the arts.  

“Our programs engage historically excluded communities through free and low-cost classes, workshops, camps, performances, and community events,” Ahearne explains.  

In addition to providing general financial support that funds STG’s work across the board, Microsoft directly supports the nonprofit’s AileyCamp program. This free summer dance and personal development camp provides dance instruction and empowerment programming for young people, especially those in need of support, such as kids involved in foster care and those who face instability at home. AileyCamp culminates in a performance at the historic Moore Theatre in downtown Seattle, an impactful experience celebrating kids’ self-expression, confidence, and creativity.  

Arts programs and venues cultivate the unique character of the Puget Sound. “Our region is known for our imagination and innovation. STG creates opportunities to explore and express this identity,” Liuzzi says. “Our region’s pioneering spirit, commitment to connection, and collaboration—including with Microsoft—make what we do possible.” 

Protecting Arts and Culture

The partnership with STG is one facet of Microsoft’s worldwide support of arts and culture. Since its founding, the company has contributed $160.8 million to the sector, enabling organizations to back leading artists, offer performances and events for the public, and run education programs that encourage artists to convey their ideas and hopes. Contributing to the arts is one dimension of the $2 billion in philanthropy Microsoft has contributed over the decades to organizations and causes across Washington state.