Senator Theatre

back on a tech question, what movies where shown in 8-channel Sony Dynamic Digital Sound when the Senator had that system for a while, as I recall (since I saw these there):

• Sense and Sensibility
• Immortal Beloved

what others? I think

• Godzilla (remake) (didn’t extra bass speakers were added for this engagement?)

it’s too bad, the system came and went since that’s what really drew me to make treks up to Baltimore from DC. It would have made sense to keep it since it used the five channel front speakers in 70mm prints. Who ever submitted the info to Wikipedia about the Senator missed this technical sound aspect.

From today’s BaltimoreSun.com …

Senator Theatre owner Tom Kiefaber is considering filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, as a way of buying time for the 70-year-old North Baltimore landmark and ensuring its fate isn’t decided by something as arbitrary as an auctioneer’s gavel.

“That’s precisely the idea,” said Sean Brescia, the owner of a management and promotion company who has been working with Kiefaber over the past several weeks to keep the theater from going into foreclosure. A bankruptcy filing, he said, would stave off the foreclosure auction, tentatively set for mid-April, and give potential buyers more time to raise money.

“We’re aggressively evaluating our best options to buy time to reorganize interim operations and structure an acquisition that is in the best interests of the community and The Senator Theatre and its future,” Kiefaber wrote in an email Wednesday. “It may be that a Chapter 11 filing is our best or only option for buying that time” …

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Giles, I hear you. I run websites and I’m trying to get different parties talking to each other on our Google discussion group. The Senator Community Trust is collecting PayPal donations on its new website (www.theSenatorCommunityTrust.org). The public isn’t sure what to do, the theatre is closed and local media are saying that an auction is imminent. The City of Baltimore also wants to help out, but it’s broke like everybody else.

In the current panic, nobody seems to know who could end up with the Senator in coming weeks. As you point out, the public has not been fully informed in the past the state of things.

It’s a stressful situation. I know that every one of these historic theatre transitions is painful and difficult, and the Senator is probably like many others. And it is an art deco gem, in good shape.

Our discussion group on Google has 55 members, including reps from the Senator Theatre, the City of Baltimore and the Senator Community Trust. It’s somewhat chatty today if anyone would like to join in …

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did anyone attend the Monday Town Meeting?

When you say B-movie, I take it you’re talking about Baltimore?

I have to write more soon, but a few folks I’m working with call ourselves Friends of the Senator Theatre (FoTS). We run a Facebook page, a Facebook group, a Google discussion group, and @SenatorTheatre accts on Twitter and Buzzable. We are trying to provide vehicles for all interested parties to communicate â€" thanks also to CinemaTreasures. There are still other Facebook and MySpace pages that don’t identify themselves as FoTS. More links on all this soon.

There is a newly-forming entity called the Senator Community Trust, LLC. It is expected that FoTS (us) will admin web pages and discussion groups for the Trust. See initial pr here (02/25/09) …

The Senator Community Trust, LLC

• http://www.siriusthoth.com/senator/sct_pr_1.pdf
• http://www.siriusthoth.com/senator/sct_pr_2.pdf

Latest news on Senator shutting down.

Yesterday’s press release from Senator.com & ClearPathManagement.com
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This story is from today’s BaltimoreSun.com …
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one thing the Avalon did, as well as the AFI, was have people purchase a seat and their name placked onto the seat, I have one at the Avalon (that was a birthday gift), maybe something like that would be beneficial to the Senator and guaranteed a set amount per person who contributed to the Senator.

The donation link is up again on the home page of the Senator’s website. I suspect the place may be closing sooner than expected unless there is some cash infusion? No announcements as of yet even in the forums. I’m not donating unless there’s some information being announced about an imminent closure, or that we know its future as a continuing operating movie theater is certain.

I live near the Senator and will try to answer any questions that folks have. I think you can email me by clicking on my name, or via Facebook (Richard Tryzno Ellsberry) or via Twitter (@RichardTE).

Baltimore, MD, is an hour north of DC. It is an independent city, surrounded by Baltimore County, of which it is not a part. This results in chronic financial woes for the city.

Last week, Baltimore City offered to pay off the Senator’s debt of $320k, if the theatre becomes a non-profit.

The theatre is in good shape, having be open continuously for nearly 70 years, and is located near Northern Parkway. The residential community is not considered dangerous. There are small retail shops and restaurants in the blocks adjacent, including a Staples. The area is now called Belvedere Square …

http://www.BelvedereSquare.com

The largest restaurant is a Guinness pub called Ryan’s Daughter.

I have launched a new Google group, called Friends of the Senator Theatre …

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Our discussion group has questions about non-profit movie theatres.

1. Are there many non-profit cinemas, and how do we find out about them? Are there any near Baltimore? Is AFI/Silver near DC a non-profit?

2. Are many theatres moving toward digital projection? We have heard that a good digital projector will cost $40k.

Thank you,
Richard_BaltoCo

There is a retail center, not a ‘strip’, per se of an eclectic group of stores ranging from a gourmet grocery store to your typical Starbucks and a few restaurants (Thai, Pizza and I think an Irish karakoke bar). Last year, they opened up an extremely expensive gourmet restaurant that barely lasted the year. To me, it seemed to be all decor and pretty looking food.

Now, down about a block there is a bar, where I’ve seen riff raff hang out but I wouldn’t consider the neighborhood “unsafe.” When you’re talking about any area, especially urban business centers, there will always be some element or risk of some crime, but its not the wild, wild west.

If you arrive early, I like to park closest to the theater so its easier to avoid the traffic of cars that park at the Staples.

Hi Folks â€" I just found you.

We’ve launched a discussion group on Google for anyone interested in a sustainable future for the Senator Theatre â€" whether your interests are in movies or architectural history, community development, art deco, neon, non-profits, performance or music or whatever. Please join us, and tell your friends about our new group …

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We also run a page on Facebook, which is one of multiple FB groups dedicated to the future of the Senator Theatre. Please become a fan of our Facebook page …

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Thank you,
Richard_BaltoCo
Friends of the Senator Movie Theatre

Wow..All that was said pros and cons of nom-for profit.Now itt looks like some kind of cover up…………..