Since State Theatre closed its doors in July 2010, the future of the largest club in Starkville has been a mystery to its loyal patrons. The Theatre had a soft reopening last semester and has been open on select nights for private parties and local events. Daniel Waide of West Point and his investment partners, Drew Cleek and Sunny Desai, are really looking to change the pace of the historic Theatre with their young and fresh take on club life. State Theatre is now anticipated to be one of the premiere entertainment spots in Mississippi.
All components of the Theatre will be open for business on March 1. The components include two restaurants, three bars, an outdoor balcony, a dance floor with a stage, a movie theatre-sized screen, and a VIP section that overlooks the dance floor.
Dawg Wing, the two-story restaurant they are opening next month, will be “a mix between the Alumni House in Jackson and a Buffalo Wild Wings, about 35 TVs and 32 beers on tap,” Waide said. The second restaurant they look to open will be innovative to the Starkville food scene. TILT will be a wine, dessert and cigar bar that will serve fondue and Cheesecake Factory cheesecake.
The owners used brown and teal paint, original artwork, new lighting, wine racks and had built a small stage to create a new atmosphere on the second floor renovations. Cleek explains the name, TILT, is taken from the new type of glasses and pitchers they have ordered for the bar, which sit on a ball and tilt to one side, but not enough to spill the drink.
Philip Vanderleest, an aerospace engineering major known in the DJ circuit as GLOtron, is now the resident DJ at State Theatre. He has played at venues throughout the Golden Triangle, including the Hunt Club, Rick’s Café, The Cotton District Café and The Princess Theatre in Columbus. DJ dance nights have always been a staple at State Theatre, and Vanderleest hopes to bring a new experience every weekend to the dance party.
“I want to bring an energy and a vibe that is bright, entertaining, vibrant and diverse, where it doesn’t matter where you came from, what color your skin is, or what music you like;  where my energy and music just make you lose control, go bonkers and get down as hard as you can,” Vanderleest said.
A new aspect of the State Theatre dance experience is the addition of a VJ, or video jockey, who adds emotion and color to the music played. Vanderleest has collaborated with fellow MSU student, Jeff Bourque, on videos, lights and original artwork for the shows. He is very passionate about what he does and is presently hard at work making the DJ experience at the Theatre the best it can be by bringing new events to the Theatre. Vanderleest DJ’d at the foam party at State Theatre last year and is bringing in DJ Sno White from Texas to host another foam party on April 8.
The owners have been booking big celebrity acts for the upcoming semester. Even though they cannot release specific information on the performers, they ensure that the shows will not be a disappointment. The VIP section will be open for big shows; prices for the section will vary by event. A typical weekend at the club will consist of DJ dance nights on Thursdays and Fridays and live music on Saturdays. Cleek also said they are looking to do some different things on Thursdays such as a comedy night, line dancing or a celebrity night.
 
Starkville has missed State Theatre, but the new renovations and changes will be worth the wait. The club will open Friday, February 11 for Mimosa and Big Krit.