Senator Theatre
5904 York Road,
Baltimore,
MD
21212
5904 York Road,
Baltimore,
MD
21212
55 people
favorited this theater
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Senator Theatre (Official)
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Durkee, F.H., Enterprises
Architects: John J. Zink
Functions: Movies (First Run)
Styles: Art Deco, Streamline Moderne
Phone Numbers:
Box Office:
410.323.4424
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Jul 2, 2014 — Stefanie Klavens' Celluloid Dreams
- Aug 20, 2013 — Senator to reopen October 10
- Mar 2, 2013 — Senator Theatre restoration update
- Feb 7, 2012 — Tax credit to speed Senator Theatre renovations
- Dec 15, 2010 — New owners of the Senator Theatre get preliminary approval for second screen, other changes
- Oct 7, 2010 — Baltimore's Senator Theatre set to re-open Oct. 15
- Jul 16, 2010 — City says Senator Theatre must go dark, Wed. July 21
- Jun 18, 2010 — "Jaws"... Happy 35th!
- Jun 11, 2010 — Fritz Lang's 1927 masterpiece w/25mins of lost footage at the Senator
- May 14, 2010 — Please Post Today, May 14 --- "Jaws," Happy 35th
- Mar 25, 2010 — Senator Theatre update
- Feb 3, 2010 — Options narrowed for Baltimore's Senator Theater
- Dec 1, 2009 — Four proposals for Senator Theatre
- Nov 18, 2009 — Requesting Intervention on behalf of The SENATOR Theatre
- Sep 25, 2009 — Balto Development Corp (BDC) Issues Senator Theatre RFP
- Jul 31, 2009 — Theatre Historical Society 2009 Awards announced!
- Jul 15, 2009 — Please sign the Senator Theatre petition
- Jun 26, 2009 — Senator Theater auction
- May 26, 2009 — Baltimore Senator Theatre owner Tom Kiefaber deserves our respect
- May 18, 2009 — Senator calls for meeting at the Senator
- Apr 15, 2009 — Senator Theatre auction cancelled
- Apr 7, 2009 — Baltimore city's "Strategy Group" decides non-profit will not work
- Mar 20, 2009 — The Senator Community Trust announces MISSION DEBT FREE
- Mar 17, 2009 — Bidders emerge for Senator
- Mar 12, 2009 — Baltimore's Historic Senator Theatre expected to close
- Mar 3, 2009 — Announcing The Senator Community Trust, LLC
- Feb 5, 2009 — Music to save the Senator this weekend
- Jan 30, 2009 — Baltimore offers $320,000 to keep Senator open as a nonprofit
- Jan 21, 2009 — Senator Theatre future planning meeting
- Dec 22, 2008 — The Senator Theatre in transition
- Jul 9, 2008 — Senator faces pressure from city events
- Jun 6, 2008 — A Summer Senator
- Mar 9, 2007 — Senator Theatre slated for city Landmark Status
- Feb 20, 2007 — Less than $5K left to save the Senator!
- Feb 19, 2007 — Less than 2 days to decide Senator's fate
- Feb 18, 2007 — Just over $30K left to Save Our Senator
- Feb 17, 2007 — Senator goal raised - donate now!
- Feb 7, 2007 — Senator Theater to be sold at a foreclosure auction on Feb. 21st
- Nov 16, 2004 — "Cinema Treasures" in Newsweek and Budget Travel
- Jan 24, 2004 — UPDATE: The Grand's Last Stand
The Senator Theatre opened October 5, 1939, with 1,024 seats all on a single level. Its opening attraction was “Stanley and Livingstone” starring Spencer Tracy. It was designed in the Art Deco style by theatre architect John J. Zink, whose other theatre designs include the Uptown Theatre in Washington DC. Interior decorations were carried out by the Paramount Decorating Co. On one side of the projection booth was a sound-proof party room and on the other side there was a sound-proof nursery.
During its operation, the theatre has been used to raise millions of dollars for local and national charitable organizations. It has also hosted world premieres and has been featured in numerous films and commercials, including “Avalon”, “12 Monkeys”, “Cecil B. Demented”, and others.
As the Senator Theatre was running in the red, ownership fell in the hands of the City of Baltimore. The City closed the theatre in July 2010, the only time it had been closed since it opened. The City selected the operator of the Charles Theatre to take over, and it reopened on October 15, 2010 with the Bruce Willis thriller “Red”. With “The Hunger Games”, the Senator Theatre closed on April 26, 2012 for renovations that added to the original auditorium, three additional auditoriums adjoining the foyer.
Reopening occured with an October 10, 2013 benefit screening of “Hairspray” (1988) with John Waters appearing as he did at the original premiere of the movie at the Senator Theatre. The theatre reopened to the public with regular features on October 11, 2013.
The theatre is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Contributed by
David Frier, Colin P. Varga, Gayle Grove
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Recent comments (view all 190 comments)
I just read that, Tinsel. A possible August opening? If you read further back on the facebook page, they had hoped for a late May opening. I’m optimistic the place will at least look good if it is at least 2/3 as good as the AFI Silver. Now those little itty bitty screening room-sized auditoriums make me wonder how much sound bleed there is going to be either going in or out from the other rooms.
It reminds me of when DC’s MacArthur was triplexed. They made two smaller theaters out of the bowed out parts of the original and even had little balconies! What was decent about that remodel, too, was the dropping and rising curtains between the shows.
Grand reopening on Oct 10! Hooray!
Looking at the pictures from the paper I hope they are not removing the marquee.
reopened on October 10 with a 35mm screening of ‘Hairspray’ with director John Waters in attendance.
Any new photos of the theater and inside? Did they keep the screen, curtains and marquee?
http://www.wbaltv.com/news/vandal-smashes-senator-theater-window/32590714 what a shame….
Oh no
Seems like there was considerable drama going on a few years ago, regarding the theater’s future. I’m glad to see it survived to write another chapter.
New article out on Baltimore’s large format and roadshow history. The Senator and other Baltimore cinemas receive plenty of coverage in the piece.
Grand opening ad