1939 RKO letters are added to façade 1939 With the advent of talking movies, the theater becomes a popular cinema for first-run movies 1950s State Theatre begins to host rock ‘n’ roll shows 1960s Growing popularity of television leads to decline in theater audience and the theater's popularity 1970 The theater is purchased by investor Jeffrey Gerstin and is rebranded with a new identity focused on both foreign and domestic art motion pictures with the hope of drawing in the Rutgers community. 1970s Under new ownership, the theater hosts big name artists including Meat Loaf, Tina Turner and Harry Chaplin, as well others listed above; the theater also becomes one the first in the state of New Jersey to feature the cult classic, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, often attracting large audiences (oftentimes in costume) for late-night showings. 1979 New Brunswick Development Corporation acquires property 1983 Johnson & Johnson holds its first ever off-site Shareholders Meeting at State Theatre New Jersey 1986 New Brunswick Cultural Center acquires property from the New Brunswick Development Corporation 1987 Renovation begins 1988 Reopening on April 24 2003 Renovation begins in December 2004 Reopening in October with Jay Leno 2010 Middlesex County provides $1 million for the installation of a new heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. November 14, 2018 State Theatre New Jersey was the focus of the second episode of NJTV's Treasures of New Jersey. As of June 2020, over six million people have come through the doors of the theatre. References Buildings and structures in New Brunswick, New Jersey Theatres in New Jersey 1921 establishments in New Jersey Tourist attractions in New Brunswick, New Jersey Thomas W. Lamb buildings