Senator Theatre
5904 York Road,
Baltimore,
MD
21212
5904 York Road,
Baltimore,
MD
21212
47 people
favorited this theater
The Senator Theater opened October 5, 1939, with 1,024 seats, showing “Stanley and Livingston” starring Spencer Tracy. It was designed in the Art Deco style by theatre architect John J. Zink, whose other theatre designs include the Uptown Theatre in Washington DC. On one side of the projection booth was a sound-proof party room and on the other side there was a sound-proof nursery.
During its operation, the theater has been used to raise millions of dollars for local and national charitable organizations. It has also hosted world premieres and has been featured in numerous films and commercials, including “Avalon”, “12 Monkeys”, “Cecil B. Demented”, and others.
As the Senator Theatre was running in the red, ownership fell in the hands of the City of Baltimore. The City closed the theatre in July 2010, the only time it had been closed since it opened. The City selected the operator of the Charles Theatre to take over, and it reopened on October 15, 2010 with the Bruce Willis thriller “Red”. With “The Hunger Games”, the Senator Theatre closed on April 26, 2012 for renovations that will add to the original auditorium, three additional auditoriums that will adjoin the foyer.
The theatre is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Contributed by
David Frier, Colin P. Varga, Gayle Grove
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Recent comments (view all 183 comments)
The new owners of the Senator have set up a new web site here: http://www.thesenatortheatre.com/
There is also a PDF document in the Renovations Blog outlining the proposed updates and renovations planned for this historic theatre.
These proposed renovations look very promising.
Interesting proposals. I am glad they are not shrinking or otherwise carving up the main auditorium. I wish/had hoped they could build a little balcony in theater 2. Its about the same size, if probably larger, than the old MacArthur theater in DC had when it had twins during its ‘83 remodel.
I’ve never regularly frequented a theater that served alcohol. I just hope the booze (as I’m a non-drinker) doesn’t lead to loud and obnoxious patrons during the shows. Its one thing to have college aged patrons when the big blockbusters are booked to full house..just imagine what it would be like if these kids are boozing.
How about an espresso/high end pastry/bakery bar? If you’re going to serve alcohol, how about some decent coffee and/or baked goods aside from the usual popcorn, candy and soda fare?
the mention of a propsed 120 seat second auditorium (in the PDF attachment) sounds like a great addition.
The new operators have received initial zoning board approval to build a second screening room, a tapas restaurant, and a creperie; they must also get the approval of the historical commission: View link
The Senator appears in the 1995 film Twelve Monkeys with Bruce Willis and Madeline Stowe. Willis and Stowe are watching Hitchcock’s Vertigo (the scene in which Kim Novak traces her life along the timeline of a redwood tree cross section) and when Willis and Stowe leave The Senator, the marquis indicates a set of Hitchcock films including Vertigo, The Birds, North by Northwest, Strangers On A Train and Psycho.
Jodar: I believe that a hallmark of early moviegoing experience was loud and obnoxious behavior. I’m not condoning it but pissing off the balcony was common for matinees where the audience was mainly kids. If you want to recapture early moviegoing experience you will not object to comments and heckling.
The theater is currently undergoing renovation. Supposedly, two additional screens will be added. The last film to play here was ‘The Hunger Games.’
OK are they going to carve up the beautiful main auditorium or just add screens ina na adjoining building?
As linked above: http://www.thesenatortheatre.com/?page_id=23
Adding screens to the facility, not chopping up the main room.