Senator Theatre

5904 York Road,
Baltimore, MD 21212

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Showing 101 - 125 of 180 comments

Giles
Giles on March 21, 2009 at 7:52 am

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.

Giles
Giles on March 19, 2009 at 11:41 am

personally I think the Rotunda’s screenings of Shrek 2/Ice Age 2 shouldn’t be “free” but “pay what you can” and not just expect people to donate as suggested on the Senator/Rotunda’s website. One would hope they’d donate, but … free is technically free.

RichardBaltoCo
RichardBaltoCo on March 19, 2009 at 11:30 am

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” …

View link

RichardBaltoCo
RichardBaltoCo on March 19, 2009 at 8:54 am

The Senator Community Trust, LLC, has just now posted their board members and information about their not-for-profit status, here …

View link

The Senator Theatre has stopped showing first-run movies …

http://www.Senator.com

My informal group is called the Friends of the Senator Theatre, running Facebook pages and a Google discussion group for anyone interested …

View link

RichardBaltoCo
RichardBaltoCo on March 19, 2009 at 8:40 am

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.

Giles
Giles on March 19, 2009 at 8:24 am

it’s would be interesting to compare Senator Community Trust, to say The Avalon Theatre Project here in DC and see why and how the latter can currently raise over 1.25 Million dollars for planned future renovations and yet the Baltimore community is being less coroperative, where they burned by the last plea for donations, only to find out $900,000 was still owed?

RichardBaltoCo
RichardBaltoCo on March 19, 2009 at 8:17 am

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 …

View link

RichardBaltoCo
RichardBaltoCo on March 19, 2009 at 7:59 am

Hundreds of folks showed up for Monday’s Town Hall Meeting. I believe that today the theatre is closed and that Sunday evening’s show of Watchmen was the final first-run movie.

Best current info is probably available from the Senator Community Trust, LLC …

http://www.theSenatorCommunityTrust.org

… in addition to other sites, blogs and forums listed above.

Giles
Giles on March 19, 2009 at 7:47 am

did anyone attend the Monday Town Meeting?

RichardBaltoCo
RichardBaltoCo on March 12, 2009 at 4:05 pm

Monday evening, March 16, 2009 at 7 pm is a Public Town Hall Meeting at the Senator Theatre to discuss her future. Anyone near Baltimore (an hour north of Washington DC) is heartily welcome to attend (ask for Richard from the Friends-of group :). There’s an e-vite on Facebook …

• Monday’s Public Town Hall Meeting at the Senator 7 pm
http://Facebook.com/event.php?eid=55091749419
Directions: http://www.Senator.com

The newly-forming Senator Community Trust will be there …

• The Senator Community Trust, LLC
http://www.siriusthoth.com/senator/sct_pr_1.pdf
http://www.siriusthoth.com/senator/sct_pr_2.pdf

Friends of the Senator Theatre will be there. The informal Friends-of network admins these various web pages & blogs …

• Friends of the Senator Theatre â€" Facebook page
http://Facebook.com/pages/FoTS/54785894919
http://Facebook.com/pages/FoTS/90672570720 (old)

• Friends of the Senator Theatre â€" Facebook group
http://Facebook.com/group.php?gid=39720373765

• Friends of the Senator Theatre â€" Google group
View link

• Friends of the Senator Theatre on WordPress (Tom Harris)
http://FriendsOfTheSenatorTheatre.wordpress.com

• AstroGirl’s Galaxy Guide (Laura Perkins)
http://AstroGirlGuides.blogspot.com

• @SenatorTheatre on Twitter.com & Buzzable.com
http://Twitter.com/SenatorTheatre
http://Buzzable.com/SenatorTheatre

There are still other pages dedicated to the Senator Theatre on Facebook & MySpace. And of course you’re looking at the Senator Theatre page on CinemaTreasures.

The Senator’s official website features a large e-mailing list for all to join and a discussion board …

http://www.Senator.com

RichardBaltoCo
RichardBaltoCo on March 12, 2009 at 9:48 am

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

JodarMovieFan
JodarMovieFan on March 12, 2009 at 8:52 am

What I’m gathering from the Balto Sun article is that the accelerated foreclosure process may be happening because of a potential buyer in the wings to get the theater at auction. This sounds more like one of those B-movie plots.

At least put up the donation link and reveal how much money is needed to avoid foreclosure. What about a Chapter 13 bankruptcy filing also? I imagine that may be a 11th hour move if everything else fails.

RichardBaltoCo
RichardBaltoCo on March 12, 2009 at 7:25 am

Latest news on Senator shutting down.

Yesterday’s press release from Senator.com & ClearPathManagement.com
View link

This story is from today’s BaltimoreSun.com …
View link

Giles
Giles on March 12, 2009 at 7:19 am

“For those of you on the Senator’s email list, they’ve sent out the word that they are about to shut down and be auctioned off. I sent the news link to this site but it has yet to post. Now, it makes sense as to why they put up the donation link. Today, in an even stranger turn of events, they took down the donation link! Are they resigning themselves to the inevitability of closure and being sold?
posted by JodarMovieFan on Mar 12, 2009 am31 6:56am”

is the Senator really throwing the towell this quickly… that’s a shame. Auctioning off seems rather severe, it’s a shame there’s no community support, such as the Avalon Theatre Project that was created here in the District in order to save that theatre.

Giles
Giles on March 10, 2009 at 11:29 am

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.

Giles
Giles on March 10, 2009 at 7:34 am

no I don’t think the AFI/Silver is non-profit. The Avalon theatre in DC is a non-profit. Even though the trend is directed toward’s digital projection, I think it’s beneficial for theatres, like the AFI Silver that is equipped to playback 35mm, 70mm and DLP (or Sony 4K LCoS digital projection – which is essential for very large screen theatres)

JodarMovieFan
JodarMovieFan on March 10, 2009 at 7:22 am

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.

RichardBaltoCo
RichardBaltoCo on January 31, 2009 at 2:20 pm

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 …

View link

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

RichardBaltoCo
RichardBaltoCo on January 31, 2009 at 2:18 pm

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 …

View link

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

Luis Vazquez
Luis Vazquez on January 30, 2009 at 1:20 pm

Thanks JodarMovieFan, I’ve never been to Baltimore, but someday hope to make it there. As part of my visit I would love to see a film at The Senator.

JodarMovieFan
JodarMovieFan on January 30, 2009 at 12:07 pm

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.

Luis Vazquez
Luis Vazquez on January 30, 2009 at 11:53 am

I’m not familiar with Baltimore, but I do know that the Senator in not “Downtown”. What is the general area like around the Senator. Is it a neighborhood retail strip? Is it stable? Considered safe? Fair or not, my impression of Baltimore is that it is nice around Inner Harbor and Dicey virtually everywhere else. I hope I’m wrong because I do feel that the future of this country is in cities and why it is important to save buildings of our past like the Senator that we can use to create the cities of the future.

RichardBaltoCo
RichardBaltoCo on January 25, 2009 at 11:13 am

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 …

View link

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 …

View link

Thank you,
Richard_BaltoCo
Friends of the Senator Movie Theatre

Ross Melnick
Ross Melnick on December 29, 2008 at 10:52 am

No need for the conspiracy theories. Someone who posted a comment requested that it be removed. Through a miscommunication, the entire post was removed, rather than just the comment. I have removed the requested comment and restored the post.

The Senator never called or requested anything be removed or changed.

When these issues arise, it is always best to wait and see what the resolution is. There isn’t always a conspiracy, a cover up, or a gremlin afoot.

Ross

Michael Furlinger
Michael Furlinger on December 29, 2008 at 10:11 am

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