Bethesda Theatre
7719 Wisconsin Avenue,
Bethesda,
MD
20814
7719 Wisconsin Avenue,
Bethesda,
MD
20814
4 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 31 comments found
the marque now states the theater will reopen in the Fall (2012) as a Jazz/Blues music venue – I think they’d also might want to branch out and include other musical genres as well – it actually might work.
the NBC channel 4 story (which they misspelled auction as “acution”) stated that the theatre is to remain, if and when a bid/purchase is made, as a performing arts venue
No bids on the Bethesda
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This theater is going on the auction block as the current owners are in default on a mortgage: View link
well… um…. even converted to showcase ‘live’ plays/musicals – this theatre is not surviving. I’m not sure where the fault lies, but it’s not able to operate under current management (or lack there of). Personally I’d book concerts and comedy acts/comedians – or even, (shock!] put a screen back up and show movies! Even in it’s current configurement, which I must admit isn’t well suited to live performances – the stage is set way too back.
Sme more Bethesda Theatre photos.
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Here is a March 2010 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/ylh7o6r
The Cinema & Drafthouse was a great place to hang.. saw many movies there in the late 80’s, early 90’s… On Sundays they showed Redskins games and once I remember the Greaseman doing a live show – I was pretty drunk that night, so dont remember much.. there were a ton of creepy dudes there that night.
A good place to watch a cheap movie and have a few drafts. The pizza was pretty crappy but edible after a few pulls on the glass.
This is a 1984 night photo.
1988 Photo
Here is a 1984 photo of the Cinema ‘N’ Drafthouse which should be an aka name.
1976 photo of the Bethesda Theatre.
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I spent nearly every Saturday for several years of my childhood (the 60’s) in this theater. My mother would give me from 75 cents to a dollar and I would pay 50 cents for a double feature (usually old monster or Sci-Fi movies) and spend the rest of the loot on popcorn and candy. Kids from blocks around would come and spend their Saturday in the same place. It was here that I first learned to cope with fear. The first time I saw a monster feature there, I was frightened like I always prevously had been at monster movies. I was amazed to see that the other kids were laughing instead of being afraid. Pretty soon I started laughing with every one else. The Bethesda is where I learned to overcome fear (of monsters) as a child. This theater meant a lot to me.
Here, here, and here are photos from January 2008 of the Bethesda Theatre.
This is a close-up view of the Bethesda Theater.
I saw about 2 dozen movies at this fine theatre during its heyday. One thing: Most theatres back then discounted their matinees by about 30%, but not Sidney Lust Theaters, hence not the Bethesda. I was in high school and usually near broke, so paying the higher price wasn’t easy. These days kids are rich and don’t care about prices, but learning thrift young has made me very wealthy.
This is great news. I thought the front was just a facade leftover from what was the theater and that if you were to go past the doors, you’d be in the apartment complex! I guess I was wrong! I’m looking foward to checking out this place when it does open.
Here is a website for the Bethesda Theater.
The theatre is reopening October 8, with the ‘live’ production of the longest running off-broadway musical “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change”
looks like it’s haunted to me
This is a recent photo of the former Bethesda Theater building.
what’s up with this theatre? I thought there was mention/rumour that it would reopen after the adjacent new apartments were completed as a complex for ‘live theatre’/touring productions like ‘Blue Man Group’.
Added to the National Register of Historical Places in 1999
Bethesda Theatre (added 1999 – Building – #99000133)
Also known as Boro Theatre
7719 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda
Historic Significance: Event, Person, Architecture/Engineering
Architect, builder, or engineer: Woodmont Development Co., Eberson, John
Architectural Style: Art Deco
Historic Person: Lust, Sidney
Significant Year: 1938
Area of Significance: Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture
Period of Significance: 1925-1949
Owner: Private
Historic Function: Recreation And Culture
Historic Sub-function: Theater
Current Function: Recreation And Culture
Here is a photo:
http://www.roadsidenut.com/beth204.jpg
National Register information & photo:
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