Chelsea Theater
1129 Weaver Dairy Road,
Chapel Hill,
NC
27514
1129 Weaver Dairy Road,
Chapel Hill,
NC
27514
2 people
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The Chelsea Theater is located in the Timberlyne Shopping Center.
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Recent comments (view all 13 comments)
I remember when The Chelsea did a showing of Boyz In The Hood that brought it record crowds back in 1991.
Also show an exclusive enagement showing of “Caligula” to record crowds for one week only,and they show did feature only at night.
The theatre opened in the early 1990’s as a twin cinema. A third auditorium was added later on in the late 1990’s.
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I went to the Chelsea in 2001 to see “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”. The service and projection was good; unfortunately, the movie was being shown in a very tiny auditorium-about the size of a broom closet. I had to see “Hedwig” again at a real movie theater (Raleigh’s Colony 1 & 2). I’m amazed this screening room has outlasted the downtown Carolina and Ram theaters – not to mention that it is very close to Regal’s Timberlyne 6 (although the two theaters have different audiences).
You right NightHawk 1. The two theatres have different audiences with the exception of the Chelsea being a art-house cinema that specializes in first-run independent features,and foreign films not to mention showing the occasional cult classic. At the Chelsea,the service and the projection were excellent,but the auditoriums were about the size of a elementary school classroom and the third auditorium represented the size of a broom closet or the company breakroom. I have seen a lot of good independent flicks at the Chelsea…I saw John Singleton’s “Boyz In The Hood” back in 1991 with this was a two screen cinema with an audience full of elderly senior citizens. I also saw another John Singleton movie here in 2004 called “Rosewood”,among others. I got to see the original “Caligula” movie here unrated during one of their specialize late shows back 2009. Not to mention the documentary “Sicko”,and another great movie “Talk To Me” with Don Cheadle in 2007. The most recent flick I saw at the Chelsea was the documentary “Bully” the week before and it was standing room only(on Screen 1) due to the limited number of seats. The seating capacity was at 90. I also got to see “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” at this theater during it’s 30th Anniversary re-release in 2005. I had to see “Talk To Me” again at Cary’s Galaxy Cinema that had better seating and widescreen projection.
I’m amazed this screening room has outlasted three Downtown Chapel Hill theaters(The Ram Triple which closed in 2000,and the Carolina,which was the pillar of moviehouses in Downtown Chapel Hill,closed in 2005,…the Varsity Theatre remains the only cinema located on East Franklin Street Downtown change management in 2009 after years of showing first-run films and independent/foreign films),and that is impressive. Speaking of the where the Chelsea is located,the theater is the far end of the Timberlyne Shopping Center off Weaver Dairy Road. While the Timberlyne Cinema 6 is directly across from Timberlyne Shopping Center opposite Banks Drive off Weaver Dairy Road(that caters to first-run features only with bargain matinees on a everyday basis).
If I ever see “Rocky Horror” in a theater, most likely it will be at the Rialto in Raleigh, the second-closest arthouse to where I live (Edgecombe County,NC)– the Colony 1 & 2 is closer. There are no arthouses east of Raleigh; the big chains in Eastern NC (Carmike-when will they leave?-UEC Premiere and Regal) and the significant non-chain theaters (New Bern, Carteret County, Elizabeth City and Tarboro) don’t show “cult” films. The Rialto has done “Rocky Horror” on Friday late nights almost forever, and they do it in a vintage neighborhood theater – better than a broom closet! I do have to give kudos to the Chelsea for good service and projection – they beat the chains any day.
From the previous comment: “There are no arthouses to where I live since the Colony 1 & 2 is closer. There are no arthouses East of Raleigh,that don’t show cult films.”
Actually you’re right NightHawk1: Since you live in Edgecombe County(which is the greater Rocky Mount-Tarboro area between Edgecombe and Nash Counties)I can see why. If your looking to see a cult films or to find an arthouse cinema you may have to travel to Greenville for that since the big theatre chains in Eastern North Carolina like Regal,UEC Premiere,and Carmike don’t show NO independent, foreign, or cult releases. Nor does the significiant non-chain theaters(New Bern, Morehead City, Elizabeth City, Jacksonville, Washington, or Wilson)which some are independently owned just to name a few. The same can be said with the discount houses too,since they’re are NONE East of Raleigh. But this is what I found that may interested you. In Eastern North Carolina their are two arthouses that are located East of Raleigh that are located in Fayetteville and Wilmington. In Fayetteville there is the Cameo Art-House Theatre located Downtown on Hay Street(and the only movie arthouse cinema located in all of Fayetteville and Cumberland County)that specializes in first-run independent films,documentaries and other features as well as golden Hollywood classics(this theatre is mentioned on the Cinema Treasures website)and vintage cult cinema. In Wilmington,there is the Thalian Hall Center located in Downtown Wilmington at the intersection of Chestnut and Front Streets that caters to independent,foreign films and documentaries as well as special features(www.thalianhall.com).
There is a small arthouse cinema located in Greenville that is near the campus of East Carolina University(I forgot the name of it,but I will surely look this cinema up).
And speaking of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”,they have played it as a Midnight Late Show on Friday nights at the Rialto in Raleigh since the cinema opened back in 1987 as a first-run arthouse theater. You’re right NightHawk1,they had played this film forever!!! And it continues to draw capacity crowds week after week! They used to have Midnight Late Shows on Saturday nights at the Rialto too,they played cult classics like “Blazing Saddles”, “Pink Floyd’s The Wall”,“Pink Flamingos”, and “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”. They used to do this at the Varsity Theatre in Downtown Chapel Hill before the change in management. But when it comes to great projection and quality service nothing beats the Chelsea in Chapel Hill.
raysson: Thanks for the arthouse info. I had overlooked Fayetteville’s Cameo – it wasn’t open when I was down there. If Greenville’s got one at all, it is most likely smaller than the Chelsea. They certainly aren’t using the old Park Theatre or Plitt Quad (aka Carolina East 4) to run arthouse films; could they be using ECU’s Hendrix Theatre (where students can see movies on-campus)?