Rosna Theatre
628 W. 35th Street,
Norfolk,
VA
23508
628 W. 35th Street,
Norfolk,
VA
23508
5 people
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This web page from the City of Norfolk says that the Rosna Theatre building has been acquired by the City and is to be renovated for use as a specialized gymnasium for Team Norfolk Boxing. The former lobby will become a community meeting room, and the commercial space in the building will house a restaurant. It’s not a theater, but at least the building is being saved for public use, and the marquee is to be restored.
Click on link to see ads, articles, and pictures of the Norfolk Rosna theatre. Please do not copy to this site.
Opened on May 29th, 1941. Grand opening ad posted.
Cinerama opened October 18th, 1961
Hey Colgraff2008, any luck or progress on getting the theater going again?
Looks like the building is still standing. When were these pictures taken? The inside is HUGE! So sad to see it like this.
I have pictures of two Cinerama movies posters for the Rosna:
http://incinerama.com/rosna.htm
Hopefully I haven’t missed the bus here, but is there any chance I could get ahold of some old pictures of this beautiful theater? I’m trying to put together a project to hopefully re-open the theater, and being able to demonstrate its former glory would go a long way.
Michelemichaels430…. “2001: A Space Odyssey” has indeed been mentioned “here” both in a comment posted on March 18, 2008 and in a related article linked under News About This Theater (located on the right margin of this page underneath the map and nearby theaters).
I can’t believe Stanley Kubrick’s classic sci fi 2001: A Space Odyssey wasn’t mentioned here. I saw it in CINERAMA at this ROSNA in 1968 and it was magnificent. The theater was sold out and the audience mesmerized. A great theater experience. One I will never forget. So sad to see it shut down.
Saw This is Cinerama there in the Spring of 1962.. The Rosna was just around the corner from the late Newport Theatre (saw several Disney movies at the Newport..
The CINERAMA Roadshow Engagement of Stanley Kramer’s classic comedy, IT’S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD opened on August 7, 1964. This was the first single film, single lens projection CINERAMA movie to be shown at the Rosna. All previous CINERAMA films had required 3 films and 3 projectors.
The Rosna opened as a CINERAMA Theater on Wednesday,
October 18, 1961.
The Rosna started out with 3-strip CINERAMA on October 18, 1961. It showed 70mm CINERAMA (and 3-strip) starting July 8, 1964.
I don’t know all the CINERAMA Films shown at the Rosna, but I know
THIS IS CINERAMA
CINERAMA HOLIDAY and
THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM
played.
I know
HOW THE WEST WAS WON 1963 and
THE HALLELUAJAH TRAIL 1965
played for sure because I know I saw both of them at the Rosna (I probably saw other CINERAMA Movies, but don’t remember for sure).
Hope you will be able to post your pix somewhere on the web. There is also a site called Cinema Tour that perhaps might be able to accomodate you. I know I would love to see the pix having been to the Memrose, the Riverview, and the Rosele, though not the Rosna when I was a kid. Good luck.
Looking at black and white, the address next door reads 626. Trying to download pictures but the photo site is down.
Just happened to stumble on this site. My dad managed the Rosna, Memrose, Riverview and few of the others for about 18 years. I do have a few black and whites of the theatre, including one of Mr Levine’s mother and father in the lobby. My mom used to make the ushers and staff costumes for some of the shows. Pictures of those also. Thanks for letting me share.
Bob—–
I don’t think Norfolk got that much snow, but in Richmond we had close to ten inches in places. As for the Rosna, that area is still not that great, not a place I think you’d be able to convince people to come even during the day, much less at night. It is a nice dream though…. wish it could happen.
Jeff-That’s interesting, boy would I love to get inside that building and do some exploring. Why don’t you just buy it and restore it as the CINERAMA Theater it was at one time. The closest CINERAMA is either on the west coast or Great Britian, so Norfolk would be a great spot. I don’t know if you ever saw a CINERAMA movie at the ROSNA, put it was really something and the Levine’s really knew how to put on a show at both the Rosna, Riverview and all the other theaters they owned. Is that area around the theater getting any better as ODU gets closer and did you get any snow this week?
Homesick for Norfolk, from Manteno, Illinois
Ret. Navy Chief Bob Jensen
The ROSNA is for sale. A cloth sign is draped over the marquee saying:
“AVAILABLE
TO BE RENOVATED
700 SEAT HISTORIC THEATER
630-2342 773-2338
ALL BROKERS PROTECTED”
That’s area code 757 if anyone is interested. One of the storefronts in the building is occupied by a restaurant.
TRIVIA ITEM The name of this theater was derived from the first names of the owners, Nathan and Rose Levine. Many of the names of Levine Theaters in Norfolk were coined from first names of the Levines and their children. Naro, Memrose, and Rosele Theaters are other examples.
ADDRESS SHOULD BE: 636 WEST 35TH STREET.
On June 19, 1968, the roadshow version, in 6-TRACK STEREO SOUND and in SUPER PANAVISION, 70mm “CINERAMA”, “2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY” opened at this theater.
“Always have an attitude of curiosity, learning, and wonder and spend time with children.” Arthur C. Clarke 1917-2008 Author of “2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY”
ALSO CALLED, ROSNA CINERAMA
“How the West Was Won” in 3-strip CINERAMA, played for 19 weeks starting June 20, 1963.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, This is CINERAMA!” Lowell Thomas, September 30, 1952
That works! Click on MAP, change the address to 636, click on SEARCH MAPS, click on SATELLITE or HYBRID, enlarge as much as possible and the top of the arrow is on the auditorium of the NEWPORT theatre. The ROSNA theatre is to the left. The V that sticks out of the building over the sidewalk is the marquee.
Ditto to that request for the article about Norfolk movie theatres.