Academy Theatre
535 Eighth Street SE,
Washington,
DC
20003
535 Eighth Street SE,
Washington,
DC
20003
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Originally opened in early 1910 as the Meaders Theatre, seating was provided in orchestra and balcony levels for 600 patrons. In the fall of 1927 it was acquired by the Stanley-Crandall Company and between 1927 and 1930 was known as the New Theatre. Briefly known as the Family Theatre in 1930 when it was operated by Sydney Lust, it became the Academy Theatre in 1933. It was closed in 1961.
The People’s Church has been housed in the former Academy Theatre building since 1962. It is located in the Barracks Row neighborhood on Eighth Street near E Street.
Contributed by
Bryan Krefft, Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 8 comments)
Here, here and here are January 2008 photos of the former Academy Theatre. Most of the original façade has been altered and there is nothing really distinctive about the auditorium/sanctuary.
The church looked much better in this 1984 photo.
Some work is underway to revert the auditorium to its original design and purpose by creating a new hybrid called the cinema church. The pulpit is gone, the stage restored and a giant new screen added. It could be quite a showpiece but I don’t hold any faith that there will be any screenings of the works of John Waters at this site for the immediate future.
Yeah, i’m sure Female Trouble will go down real well there…
A news feature about this church-owned theater’s return to cinema use: View article
interesting/great article – my only question: is the projection going to be 35mm and digital projection?, or just the latter?
4k digital, at least according to a comment posted here.
and … ??