Monroe Theatre
585 Monroe Avenue,
Rochester,
NY
14607
585 Monroe Avenue,
Rochester,
NY
14607
4 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Schine Circuit Inc.
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Mar 18, 2013 — “South Pacific” 55th Anniversary – The Roadshow Engagements
- Dec 9, 2012 — Happy 50th, “Lawrence of Arabia”
- May 31, 2012 — REMEMBERING CINERAMA (Part 51: Rochester)
- Oct 6, 2010 — Happy 50th, "Spartacus"
- Mar 2, 2010 — Happy 45th, "The Sound Of Music"
- Oct 30, 2009 — Happy 50th, "Sleeping Beauty"
- Feb 19, 2007 — Monroe Theatre demolition to be discussed
Opened in 1927, at one time, it was the most well known of the neighborhood theatres in this city. The Monroe Theatre was operated by the Schine Circuit by 1941. It was the last remaining neighborhood theatre in Rochester when it showed its final regular movie in 1970. It was where such films as “The Sound of Music” and “Oklahoma” used to come for an engagement. In the early-1960’s it was a Cinerama theatre. It then went over to screening porn films until 1995.
I only have dim memories of the interior, but the exterior is brick with cement trim cast into the shape of classic moldings and urns. Over the entrance doors is a large bas-relief panel of drapery clad dancing maidens.
A couple of years ago the theatre’s exterior was painted over in a truly hideous flourescent green and black color scheme, presumably an attempt on the current owner’s part to keep the building from being declared a city landmark.
In September 2008, the auditorium was demolished, leaving just the facade and foyer areas.
Contributed by
Carl Laitenberger
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Recent comments (view all 45 comments)
While I am sad to read that this place has been demolished, I am also not surprised. I lived around the corner from the Monroe Theatre in the mid-to-late 90’s (when it was Show World) and it was a sketchy place for sure. Got mugged once right out under the marquee! Lots of drug dealers and pimps around too. It was funny to watch respectable Pittsford-looking types ducking in to purchase porn on their lunch breaks. I never went inside even though I was curious about the interior. Would’ve loved to have seen this place in all it’s 70mm glory!
Saw my first porno at the Monroe – “Sensational Jeanine”. Man was she, uh, “sensational”! :–)
Photo added credit Len Laurro.
I was 7 yrs old in 1953 when “Oklahoma” first played here. My grandmother, who lived in an apartment over the theater took me for my birthday. First wide screen movie I ever saw. It was thrilling!
I drive past this place every day. Of course, it’s been closed nearly 10 years…but the marquee is still up. They should renovate it and reopen as a grindhouse theatre!
Unfortunately the auditorium was demolished in 2008. So there is nothing there for anyone to reopen.
We want to open a comedy club!
Is it possible anyone is still alive that was involved in the operation of this theater? If anyone knows, would you PLEASE contact me with any information at all and let me know? I would sure appreciate it. Thanks, Mark
Mark, I’ve been working for the last 5 years to open up the Theater as a Comedy Theater. I’ve been inside several times and have put a lot of work into a business plan and funding. Hard to move, though, with an owner who’s not inclined to move on anything because of the tax breaks to his real estate company from vacancy. I can tell you that the original movie theater dimmers are still inside- they’re resistors with a handle for manually dimming the lights, installed long before anything like that was available in a home. I’ve done a lot of research on the Theater and can tell you anything you’d want to know.
Joshke, I sent you an email - please get in touch with me! ~ Karen