Commodore Theatre
Commodore Theatre is an historic movie theater located at Portsmouth, Virginia. It was built in 1945 in the Streamline Art Deco style, and originally sat 1,000 people.[3] The theater closed in 1975 and sat empty until a change in ownership and extensive renovation beginning in 1987.[3] It reopened two years later, and as of 2023 was in operation displaying first-run films accompanied by a full kitchen.[4]
Commodore Theatre | |
.jpg.webp) Commodore Theatre | |
   | |
| Location | 421 High St., Portsmouth, Virginia |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 36°50′5″N 76°18′8″W |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1945 |
| Architect | Zink, John J. |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| NRHP reference No. | 97000203[1] |
| VLR No. | 124-0101 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | February 27, 1997 |
| Designated VLR | December 4, 1996[2] |
History
The Commodore was built in 1945 by William Stanley Wilder, a Portsmouth native who owned and operated several theaters in Virginia's Tidewater region from the 1920s through the 1940s.[3] The theater was named after Commodore James Barron, an officer on the frigate USS Chesapeake involved in the Chesapeake–Leopard affair and who is buried in a churchyard next to the theater.[3] It is rumored that the construction supplies for the building – which ordinarily would have been unavailable due to wartime shortages – were allocated to the project due to the entertainment it would provide to the large number of soldiers stationed in Portsmouth.[3]
The theater's design has been described as "an excellent example of the Streamline Art Deco style."[3] Its two-story façade features a plain mass of yellow pressed brick decorated with horizontal stripes of brown brick on the upper level with a central pavilion of curved-top vertical pylons of Indiana limestone and decorative strips of glass block.[3] The lower level of the façade is composed of Indiana limestone ashlar veneer with a base of black marble. A dominant element of the auditorium is the pair of restored murals on the side walls representing the progress of America and the commerce and industry of Hampton Roads.[3]
After a period of declining attendance and conversion to an adult theater, the Commodore closed in 1975.[3] It sat empty until being purchased by the current owner who performed a two-year renovation.[3] The exterior's marquee and ticket booth were retained, as were the majority of interior fixtures.[3] The original seating was removed from the main auditorium floor and replaced with dinner theater-style seating; a balcony uses traditional auditorium-style seating.[3]
The theater currently offers first-run films on a nightly basis, featuring Dolby Digital and THX sound, accompanied by a dining experience serviced by a full kitchen in the main building.[5]
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.[1] It is located in the Downtown Portsmouth Historic District.[6]
References
- "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- "Virginia Landmarks Register". Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
- Mary Ruffin Viles/Calder Loth (October 1996). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Commodore Theatre" (PDF). Virginia Department of Historic Resources.
- "Historic theatre in Portsmouth adjusts for social distancing". News 3 WTKR Norfolk. 2021-03-26. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
- "The Commodore Theatre Historical Marker". www.hmdb.org. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
- David, Kimble A. (June 2002). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Downtown Portsmouth Historic District" (PDF). Virginia Department of Historic Resources.
