Rosna Theatre
636 W. 35th Street,
Norfolk,
VA
23508
636 W. 35th Street,
Norfolk,
VA
23508
3 people
favorited this theater
Built in the 1930’s, the Rosna Theatre was converted for Cinerama in the 1960’s and showed 3-strip and then 70mm CINERAMA films. Later on they would show other 70mm films such as “My Fair Lady” and popular films such as “Zorba The Greek”. In later years, the Rosna Theatre was converted into a church.
Contributed by
Bob Jensen
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Recent comments (view all 24 comments)
The ROSNA is for sale. A cloth sign is draped over the marquee saying:
“AVAILABLE
TO BE RENOVATED
700 SEAT HISTORIC THEATER
630-2342 773-2338
ALL BROKERS PROTECTED”
That’s area code 757 if anyone is interested. One of the storefronts in the building is occupied by a restaurant.
Jeff-That’s interesting, boy would I love to get inside that building and do some exploring. Why don’t you just buy it and restore it as the CINERAMA Theater it was at one time. The closest CINERAMA is either on the west coast or Great Britian, so Norfolk would be a great spot. I don’t know if you ever saw a CINERAMA movie at the ROSNA, put it was really something and the Levine’s really knew how to put on a show at both the Rosna, Riverview and all the other theaters they owned. Is that area around the theater getting any better as ODU gets closer and did you get any snow this week?
Homesick for Norfolk, from Manteno, Illinois
Ret. Navy Chief Bob Jensen
Bob—–
I don’t think Norfolk got that much snow, but in Richmond we had close to ten inches in places. As for the Rosna, that area is still not that great, not a place I think you’d be able to convince people to come even during the day, much less at night. It is a nice dream though…. wish it could happen.
Just happened to stumble on this site. My dad managed the Rosna, Memrose, Riverview and few of the others for about 18 years. I do have a few black and whites of the theatre, including one of Mr Levine’s mother and father in the lobby. My mom used to make the ushers and staff costumes for some of the shows. Pictures of those also. Thanks for letting me share.
The address is still incorrect-should be 636 W. 35th Street.
Looking at black and white, the address next door reads 626. Trying to download pictures but the photo site is down.
Hope you will be able to post your pix somewhere on the web. There is also a site called Cinema Tour that perhaps might be able to accomodate you. I know I would love to see the pix having been to the Memrose, the Riverview, and the Rosele, though not the Rosna when I was a kid. Good luck.
The Rosna started out with 3-strip CINERAMA on October 18, 1961. It showed 70mm CINERAMA (and 3-strip) starting July 8, 1964.
I don’t know all the CINERAMA Films shown at the Rosna, but I know
THIS IS CINERAMA
CINERAMA HOLIDAY and
THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM
played.
I know
HOW THE WEST WAS WON 1963 and
THE HALLELUAJAH TRAIL 1965
played for sure because I know I saw both of them at the Rosna (I probably saw other CINERAMA Movies, but don’t remember for sure).
The Rosna opened as a CINERAMA Theater on Wednesday,
October 18, 1961.
The CINERAMA Roadshow Engagement of Stanley Kramer’s classic comedy, IT’S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD opened on August 7, 1964. This was the first single film, single lens projection CINERAMA movie to be shown at the Rosna. All previous CINERAMA films had required 3 films and 3 projectors.