Media Theatre for the Performing Arts

104 E. State Street,
Media, PA 19063

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Related Websites

Media Theatre for the Performing Arts (Official)

Additional Info

Architects: Louis Magaziner

Firms: Magaziner, Eberhard, and Harris

Functions: Performing Arts

Styles: Colonial Revival, Renaissance Revival

Previous Names: Media Theatre

Phone Numbers: Box Office: 610.891.0100

Nearby Theaters

Media Theatre for the Performing Arts

The Media Theatre opened August 27, 1927 with Al Jolson in “The Jazz Singer”. Originally seating was provided for 1,100 and the movie theatre also hosted vaudeville shows in its stage.

The Media Theatre closed as a movie theatre in 1990, but the theatre was restored and reopened in 1994 as a performing arts venue.

Contributed by George Quirk, Bryan Krefft

Recent comments (view all 17 comments)

Patsy
Patsy on June 20, 2007 at 3:51 am

I wish Mr. Rothacker had come to my hometown in the early 90’s…perhaps he could have painted the Grand Theatre and helped save it rather than have it demolished for reasons I will never understand!

Patsy
Patsy on July 15, 2007 at 4:25 am

Lost Memory: You have posted on my birthday!

Patsy
Patsy on July 15, 2007 at 9:57 pm

LOL! Thanks and you are one of the reasons why I like CT so much!

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on September 1, 2007 at 4:28 am

The Media was part of the Harry L. Dembow Circuit in the early sixties. General manager was Harry L. Dembow, not surprisingly. Besides the Media, other Dembow theaters in Pennsylvania at the time were the Congress in Marcus Hook and the State in Columbia.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on November 30, 2008 at 5:04 am

Maybe Mr. Rothacker the artist can make it out to the Ioka or Crest Theatres listed on Cinema Treasures.
One small and one big in need of some saving.

HowardBHaas
HowardBHaas on December 10, 2008 at 2:30 am

excellent photo of exterior, showing “Oliver”
View link

close up Marquee
View link

HowardBHaas
HowardBHaas on September 29, 2009 at 3:28 pm

In the early 1990’s, Walter M. Strine, Sr. saved the historic Media
Theatre, which was built for movies in 1927 in Philadelphia’s suburbs. The Philadelphia Inquirer on Sunday published his obituary and photos, as he passed away at age 100. View link

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on January 13, 2018 at 5:34 am

Facebook page for The Media Theatre.

https://www.facebook.com/mediatheatre/?hc_ref=ARQYA1HMFkNO1pBBHx2jaq3k-Qms8HUUANm9UOqOwuDsFU5crefzWIav6F4vQjwN9wU

Gibby
Gibby on July 20, 2018 at 6:56 pm

I know a Person by the Name of Phil Arsenault. He really added some “BOOM”! into the History of The Media Movie Theater!

robboehm
robboehm on December 26, 2021 at 9:03 pm

At the time it was build by Samuel Dembow it was Media’s third and largest movie theatre. The interior was described as English Renaissance.

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