Much to my chagrin, the one-off movie theater across the street from my apartment recently closed. It showed crap movies, so no wonder; yet I still can’t help but mourn the passing of yet another single-screen cinema in this city. What the block-long expanse will become remains uncertain: the theater seats were sold off in the lobby to anyone who happened to notice the hand-scrawled For Sale sign, and the adjoining three shops have all been stripped bare. A sign at the corner announcing yet another TD Bank – just what the neighborhood needs – promises that the project will constitute some sort of major redevelopment. Not to sound too sanguine but I guess theaters come and theaters go; becoming everything from hot-spot bars to banks to parking lots. With that in mind, here are a few more recent converts that have bowed to changing times – and ever-changing needs.
THEN: The Jane Street Theater • NOW: The Jane hotel ballroom • Location: NYC
History: The Jane Street Theater was an off-Broadway theatre in Greenwich Village with a small stage and a seating capacity of 280. Notable shows presented at the Jane Street Theater included Hedwig and the Angry Inch (rumored to be coming to Broadway) and Jonathan Larsen’s tick, tick … BOOM! After the theatre was purchased by hoteliers Sean MacPherson and Eric Goode, they converted it into an event space called The Jane ballroom, located in the adjacent hotel, The Jane.
THEN: Michigan Theater • NOW: Parking lot • Location: Detroit, Michigan
History: The Michigan Theater was built in August 1926. With a seating capacity of 4,050, the concert hall/movie house was one of the largest in Michigan. In the 1960s, it televised Red Wings hockey games for those who could not attend, and in the 1970s it was reborn as a nightclub and concert venue. In 1976, the main hall and lobby were gutted and converted into a multi-story parking structure – with much of the original architecture left intact! Ironically enough, the Michigan Theater is built on the site of the small garage where Henry Ford built his first automobile.
THEN: Mayan Theatre • NOW: The Mayan nightclub • Location: Los Angeles
History: Designed by Mexican artist Francisco Cornejo as a spectacular Mayan revival theater, the aptly-named Mayan Theater was built in 1927. Created solely as a venue for stage musicals, the debut event was a production of the Gershwins’ Oh Kay! In the 1980s, the theater fell on hard times and was bought by a developer who turned it into a nightclub. The building was renovated and – surprise, again – all the original architecture was maintained. Now, in addition to nightclub duty, The Mayan hosts the annual World Salsa Competition and on Sundays is home to evangelical church services.
THEN: The Villa Theatre • NOW: Adib’s Rug Gallery • Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
History: The Villa Theatre opened in 1949 showing Prince of Foxes on a screen 26 feet wide by 20 feet high, one of the largest screens in the West. In 1958, the Villa drew nationwide attention for its record-breaking 10-month and 4-day run of South Pacific. Moviegoers came to the theater from all parts of Utah, as well as southern Idaho and eastern Nevada. After a string of renovations and ownership changes, the Villa Theatre was sold to Dr. Hamid Adib who preserved the theater’s original facade and restored the building. It’s currently enjoying new life as a gallery for Persian and Oriental rugs.
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