Strand Theatre

543 Columbia Road,
Dorchester, MA 02125

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Related Websites

Strand Theatre, Dorchester (Official)

Additional Info

Firms: Funk and Wilcox

Functions: Community Arts Center

Styles: Adam, Neo-Classical

Phone Numbers: Box Office: 617.635.1403

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News About This Theater

1978 photo courtesy of the Growing Up In Dorchester, Mass. Facebook page.

This grand old Boston neighborhood movie palace was opened November 11, 1918. It was closed in the mid-1970’s. As Dorchester declined, so went the theatre.

Fortunately, though, this theatre has been gloriously restored for use by the community.

Contributed by Ron Newman

Recent comments (view all 38 comments)

rsalters (Ron Salters)
rsalters (Ron Salters) on October 19, 2008 at 1:01 pm

Today’s Boston Sunday Herald states that a Halloween “Boo Bash” will be held this afternoon at the Strand Theatre. The event is free. So many events at the Strand have free admission, which means no revenue coming in.

Ron Newman
Ron Newman on April 9, 2009 at 10:12 am

The Broadway musical “Ain’t Misbehavin'” comes to the Strand for a three-day run starting tomorrow, starring 2003 American Idol Winner Ruben Studdard. Today’s Boston Globe has a long article on the show and the theatre’s recent restoration.

Ron Newman
Ron Newman on August 26, 2010 at 5:19 pm

This week’s Dorchester Reporter has two long articles about the Strand’s failure to attract programming and serve the young people of the surrounding community as it did in the 1990s:

Despite millions in funding by city, little is happening at Strand Theatre

Once a haven for youth, Strand Theatre now seen more as history

Ron Newman
Ron Newman on December 5, 2010 at 10:17 am

I don’t know why the Strand Theatre’s web address keeps changing, but now it’s http://strandboston.com/ .

rsalters (Ron Salters)
rsalters (Ron Salters) on February 21, 2011 at 2:54 pm

The Strand is listed at 543 Columbia Road in the 1921 edition of the Boston Register and Bus. Directory, Issue 85.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on July 6, 2011 at 4:24 am

A 1979 booklet called “Living in Dorchester” (available at this link from Archive.org) cites architectural historian Douglass Shand Tucci as saying that Funk & Wilcox’s design for the Strand Theatre featured an Adamesque interior and a Classical Revival facade.

James Fisher
James Fisher on July 6, 2011 at 5:23 am

great lil theatre been there a few times long ago

rivest266
rivest266 on May 12, 2013 at 9:28 am

This opened on November 17th, 1918

rdimucci
rdimucci on July 8, 2023 at 1:29 pm

Here’s an article in “The Boston Phoenix” (21 November 1978) about the efforts of community arts groups and civic activists to save the Strand and turn it into the “Harriet McCormack Center for the Arts.”

https://archive.org/details/sim_boston-phoenix_1978-11-21_7_47/page/n1/mode/1up

Here, the building is listed on the website of the Society of Architectural Historians:

https://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/MA-01-DR11

Matt Lambros
Matt Lambros on July 17, 2023 at 11:12 am

Here’s a short write up about the Strand with some of my photos

I also host photography workshops at the theater every August if you’d like to see it for yourself. Here’s the link for more information.

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