(AP, ABC7) - Officials cut the ribbon to a restored theater in Northwest Washington that helped to launch the careers of legends like Ella Fitzgerald and Marvin Gaye.

Continue reading

District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray, among others, attended Monday's ceremony for the Howard Theatre.

PHOTOS: See photos of the beautifully renovated theater

The 100-year-old theater has been undergoing a $29 million restoration since September 2010.

It opened as a first-of-its-kind showcase for black artists in 1910. Monday's event will also feature the unveiling of a Duke Ellington statue nearby.

On Thursday, there will be a benefit concert to support the restoration efforts. Smokey Robinson, Raheem DeVaugh, Savion Glover, Robert Randolph and Wanda Sykes are among the performers scheduled to appear.