Hippodrome Theater
808 K Street NW,
Washington,
DC
808 K Street NW,
Washington,
DC
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Opened in 1909 as the Hippodrome, this theater was located on K Street near New York Avenue off Mount Vernon Square. It was designed by Julius Wenig.
In later years, the Hippodrome began showing art and foreign films, and was renamed the Art. When art movies gave way to gay pornographic films in the 70s, it was again renamed, as the Mark II. It has long since been closed and torn down.
Contributed by
Bryan
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Recent comments (view all 3 comments)
The 1931 Film Daily Year Book gives a seating capacity of 300 for the Hippodrome. If correct, it must have been one of the smallest Hippodrome Theatres on record. The name was usually used for theatres much larger than that. A dictionary definition of “hippodrome” says “an arena or structure for equestrian and other spectacles.”
Washington’s HIPPODROME served briefly as (I think) the original location of ARENA STAGE, now moved to custom-built quarters in SW.
Regarding the small 300 seat size for a theater named HIPPODROME, please look up the HIPPODROME New York on this site. My dad first told me about the one in New York, short-lived, it had over 5000 seats and the largest stage on Earth. Never mind. Just click-on the write-up which is extensive.
A Robert-Morton theater organ was installed in the Hippodrome Theater in 1927.