Majestic Theatre
115 King Street,
Madison,
WI
53703
115 King Street,
Madison,
WI
53703
5 people
favorited this theater
Showing 16 comments
This place is renovated, but not really “showing movies.” This is now a concert venue, with all seats removed except the balcony. they have had special screenings for single nights, but it’s pretty rare (I think all prepandemic, and stuff like Rocky horror)
Visited this theatre often in the late 80’s/early 90’s for art house films like “Mystery Train” and “The Vanishing”. There were, of course, the midnight showings of Rocky Horror too. My understanding is the whole immediate area of what is now the GEF building complex was, in the 70’s, of “ill repute” and the Majestic a porn-XXX theatre. It has indeed come a long way. Keep up the good work!
Functions should also include: Movies (classic) Films are shown as part of a “Brew and View” program.
Was in here a few weeks ago. Very nice partial restoration of a beautiful, though oddly laid out, theater. I’m uploading some iPhone photos right now. The current management are extremely nice and very proud of what they have which is obviously very nice to see. I talked to one of the managers for a while about the history of the theater: not sure if already listed above, but she informed me that it is the oldest theater standing in Madison and plan for it to exist for years to come
Why is this listed as closed? Its far from closed. In fact, from the pictures I’ve seen, it looks better than it has in years!
As many of these photos indicate, the nightclub function of this theatre has been terminated following some shootings and other issues with violence. It is now mainly a music venue, which I visited last year. Not bad and at least they’ve maintained the marquee.
I loved the Majestic before it was sold and converted, except for one thing; I’ve never been in a theater with the rows of seats so damned close together! My knees were FIRMLY dug into the back of the seat in front. That theater HAD to have been designed for an audience of MIDGETS!!!
While that wasn’t a real biggie for ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW, just imagine the AGONY of sitting through ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA and 1900 !!!
It took me DAYS tor recover from those tortures! <<grin>>
Does any body have any pics of the majestic circa 1906 when it was built?
No, the Madison is not the Majestic.
Is King Street different from King Boulevard? I won’t add the Madison if it’s the same theater as the Majestic:
http://tinyurl.com/287788
Another brief history, and a picture, from the Madison Trust for Historic Preservaton:
View link
Another article:
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The Majestic Theatre opened on 15th December 1906 as a vaudeville theatre. It went over to movies plus stage shows from 1912.
Wow. Surprised and shocked to hear it has become a dance club. Saw “Bound,” “The City of Lost Children,” and some other artsy movies there in the mid-late 90s. The carpeted lobby was very narrow and had an oldish rectangular water fountain in it. The ladies' bathroom was to the left when you entered and had the original fixtures. The theater itself had quasi-boxes on either side and a balcony. The boxes did not give you a very good view of the movie, but it was cool to sit up there. Before you entered the theater you had a very claustrophobic vibe. I want to say I remember the doors to enter the theatre being tall and narrow “swinging” doors. It was not ornate inside, not like a “movie palace” found in larger cities.
Article describing its current use and brief history:
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Now a dance club with limited seating. Upstage now houses the D.J’s booth while dancing is attempted in the small downstage area. The former fly rail is another drinking deck with a bird’s eye view of the college students while they get their groove on.