Industry
Nonprofit
Industry
Nonprofit
Industry
Nonprofit
Year
2020
Year
2020
Year
2020
Role
Lead UX Designer
Role
Lead UX Designer
Role
Lead UX Designer
Colonial Theatre
Reviving a Community Icon Through Holistic UX, IA, and System Integration
The Challenge
The Colonial Theatre — a historic nonprofit cinema and live venue — was losing momentum. Memberships were slipping, events weren’t selling out, and the website made it hard for visitors to understand what was playing, where to go, and why supporting the theatre mattered.
The core issues were structural: unclear hierarchy, inconsistent program labels, cluttered navigation, and a fragmented ticketing flow between the CMS and Agile Ticketing. With more than half of traffic coming from mobile, the experience needed to feel lighter, clearer, and aligned with how people actually browse.
The Colonial Theatre — a historic nonprofit cinema and live venue — was losing momentum. Memberships were slipping, events weren’t selling out, and the website made it hard for visitors to understand what was playing, where to go, and why supporting the theatre mattered.
The core issues were structural: unclear hierarchy, inconsistent program labels, cluttered navigation, and a fragmented ticketing flow between the CMS and Agile Ticketing. With more than half of traffic coming from mobile, the experience needed to feel lighter, clearer, and aligned with how people actually browse.
My Role
I led UX and UI design for the redesign, partnering closely with Colonial’s team to reimagine the site as a modern, intuitive hub for films, live events, memberships, and donations. I translated research, analytics, and technical constraints into a refined information architecture, new digital identity, and flexible component system.
I led UX and UI design for the redesign, partnering closely with Colonial’s team to reimagine the site as a modern, intuitive hub for films, live events, memberships, and donations. I translated research, analytics, and technical constraints into a refined information architecture, new digital identity, and flexible component system.
The Approach
We rebuilt the experience around the tasks people come for most: what’s playing today, this week, and this month. The site now separates films from live performances, simplifies navigation across the three theaters, and introduces a color-coded system that quickly distinguishes series, event types, and locations without overwhelming new visitors.
Program names like Cult Cinema and Fright Night — beloved by regulars but confusing for newcomers — were preserved but moved deeper into the flow. At the surface level, the experience became universal, predictable, and easier to scan.
We rethought the homepage to highlight current films, upcoming events, and clear calls to action for membership and donations. Banner space became purposeful, not decorative. And the ticketing journey was streamlined by better integrating Agile Ticketing links and reducing unnecessary clicks.
The visual direction blends the Colonial’s retro charm with a cleaner, more contemporary structure — tightened typography, simplified layouts, and mobile-first patterns that feel natural to the way users actually browse.
We rebuilt the experience around the tasks people come for most: what’s playing today, this week, and this month. The site now separates films from live performances, simplifies navigation across the three theaters, and introduces a color-coded system that quickly distinguishes series, event types, and locations without overwhelming new visitors.
Program names like Cult Cinema and Fright Night — beloved by regulars but confusing for newcomers — were preserved but moved deeper into the flow. At the surface level, the experience became universal, predictable, and easier to scan.
We rethought the homepage to highlight current films, upcoming events, and clear calls to action for membership and donations. Banner space became purposeful, not decorative. And the ticketing journey was streamlined by better integrating Agile Ticketing links and reducing unnecessary clicks.
The visual direction blends the Colonial’s retro charm with a cleaner, more contemporary structure — tightened typography, simplified layouts, and mobile-first patterns that feel natural to the way users actually browse.
The Outcome
The evolution was immediate. Memberships and sponsorships increased, advertising interest returned, and patrons finally had a site that made discovery and ticket-buying effortless. Beyond performance lifts, the redesign helped reaffirm the Colonial as Phoenixville’s cultural center — a historic venue supported by a digital presence that finally matched its energy and purpose.
The evolution was immediate. Memberships and sponsorships increased, advertising interest returned, and patrons finally had a site that made discovery and ticket-buying effortless. Beyond performance lifts, the redesign helped reaffirm the Colonial as Phoenixville’s cultural center — a historic venue supported by a digital presence that finally matched its energy and purpose.
“
Jon elevated our online brand identity and dramatically improved patron experience. Our new website is memorable, better organized, and does a fabulous job of integrating our annual festival, Blobfest - very important to us.
Jon elevated our online brand identity and dramatically improved patron experience. Our new website is memorable, better organized, and does a fabulous job of integrating our annual festival, Blobfest - very important to us.
Emily Simmons, Marketing Director
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