Soo Theatre
534 Ashmun Street,
Sault Ste. Marie,
MI
49783
534 Ashmun Street,
Sault Ste. Marie,
MI
49783
1 person
favorited this theater
Built in 1929 to vaudeville house plans with full stage, flyspace, dressing rooms beneath stage, twin organ lofts (organ never installed), and orchestra pit, the Soo is the only remaining vintage house in the eastern end of Upper Michigan and the only venue in the area that offers the flyspace needed for full scenic productions.
As late as the early 1970’s it was used as a live performance house in addition to cinema. In 1974 a huge concrete wall divided the auditorium into a duplex cinema for film only. The Soo closed its doors in 1998, the victim of a newly-opened faceless multiplex on the outskirts of town. The final film showing was “The Wizard Of Oz” with five patrons in attendance.
After several proposals for the adaptive reuse of the building, in 2003 it was acquired by Soo Theatre Project, Inc., a local non-profit group dedicated to its renovation and restoration as a community performing arts facility.
A recent Michigan Cool Cities grant has permitted remodelling of the theatre’s retail space as a regional performing arts school, opened in September 2005.
Renovation of the auditorium, stage and lobbies awaits major funding. In the meantime, the dividing wall has been demolished by local volunteer labour, and plans are underway to place the Soo into limited operation as a summer theatre venue.
Contributed by
John Ignatowski
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater
Recent comments (view all 9 comments)
Here are two vintage photos of the Soo Theater.
This was the place where I took my two older kids to their first movie back around 1992. We saw Aladdin and the three of us had a great time. It was a real nice place with alot of old fashioned charm. We only lived there for a few years but I remember discovering and poking thru the ruins of a drive-in theatre on the south outskirts of town, the screen had fallen down and the area was overgrown with weeds but the projection house/concession stand was still standing. I don’t know what it was called but maybe somebody out there knows and could place it on this site
Here is a more modern photo of the Soo theater.
This is a recent 2006 photo of the Soo theater and here is another.
More photos can be seen here.
Here is a September 2008 photo.
1985 Photo
1986 Photo
Does anyone know the names of the other theatres that use to be in this city? They must have had more than one cinema.
The Soo Theater was a great little movie theater. Used to come over from the Canadian “Soo” to see movies here. Liked the little restaurant/diner next door.