The Queen in Wilmington is back and local musicians and live performers are heralding the venue’s return.
Originally built in the 1800s, “The Indian Queen Hotel” was a popular place for traveling sailors to spend the night. From 1916-1959, the hotel was repurposed into a movie theater and brought joy to thousands of locals.
Sadly, it was abandoned and has been dormant for over 50 years. With water pouring through the ceilings, the walls caving in, and the façade crumbling, this majestic theater had become a faded memory of Market Street’s vibrant past. However, as all good leaders do, The Queen found her way back to the throne and reopened her doors to the people on April 1st, 2011.
World Cafe Live ran the theater from its opening in 2011 until 2017 with Live Nation in charge from 2017 until 2020 when Buccini/Pollin took the reins. Live Nation still books some of the venue's national acts.
In the summer of 2023, Devin Ball, the then-director of music hall operations at New Orleans’ House of Blues, answered an ad for new management at The Queen.
Immediately, Ball knew how he wanted The Queen to run; always open, always producing, always busy.
The Queen is featuring a steady mix of live bands, comedians drag brunches, and performers across its three stages.
Delaware Public Media' s arts coverage is made possible, in part, by support from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency dedicated to nurturing and supporting the arts in Delaware, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.
