Honest Pat's Playhouse is joining the Plaza-Midwood revitalization movement by renovating a 67-year-old building at East 10th Street and Louise Avenue for musical theater and dining.

Franklin Golden, producer and co-founder of Mojo Productions, discovered the white-brick retail complex about two months ago and hired longtime theater friend Amanda Blackburn Watkins as artistic director.

They're working with building owner Mark Ferguson and Ferguson Family Real Estate to renovate and expand the space for a 130-seat performance venue to open May 29.

"It's close to the dinner theater idea, but it's not a dinner theater," Watkins said. "It will be a laid-back, fun place to hang out. We'll have a variety of seating with different chairs -- movie theater seats, church-style pews, window seats and chairs surrounding the edge of the stage."

The 1,500-square-foot space will include a restaurant-bar. Shrimp burgers and fries will be the only food items initially.

"We wanted to include the eatery so people wouldn't have to worry about where they would eat before or after going to the theater," Watkins said.

The owners envision Honest Pat's Playhouse as an intimate place people can enjoy with friends even when there isn't a performance.

The building is part of a complex Ferguson calls Central Five Points Shops.

Back in the 1950s, it was home to a grill called Bob's Place, a barbershop and other retailers. Most recently, it was an antiques store.

Watkins said the makeover is expected to cost about $75,000. Ferguson, Watkins, Golden and Tilly Hatcher are participating in the redesign of the space.

Golden said the playhouse will open at 1410 E. 10th St. with the revival of the saloon musical, "Diamond Studs, The Life of Jesse James."

"Diamond Studs" features an 11-person cast of actors who sing and perform the original score on electric and acoustic guitars, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, ukulele, drums, piano, trumpet, trombone, tuba, clarinet and washboard.

Golden said Mojo Productions also plans to develop new works with a focus on N.C. writers and to use Honest Pat's as a home for future productions.

He founded Mojo Productions as a student organization at UNC Chapel Hill in 1996 with Adam Seipp. Their first production was "Cotton Patch Gospel" in Chapel Hill in 1997.

For ticket information and performance times, visit the playhouse's Web site, www.honestpats.com.