Senator Theatre set to reopen after renovations
Tonight’s the night. Baltimore’s iconic Senator Theatre, which has been dark since April 2012, will reopen in a couple hours with a sold-out showing of John Waters‘ movie, “Hairspray.” So grab some popcorn and take another look at photos from the $3.5 million renovation of the 74-year-old movie palace.
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- Owner Buzz Cusack is overseeing the renovation of the 1939 Art Deco Senator Theatre on York Road near Belvedere Square. (Amy Davis /Baltimore Sun)
- Craftsman Norman Wesson in the lobby, where the murals and walnut paneling have been restored, a new Art Deco chandelier has been added, and the original terrazzo floor will be refurbished. (Amy Davis /Baltimore Sun)
- Artists working from scaffolding are currently painting decorative designs on the ceiling return. New seats will be added to the original auditorium after the restoration of the interior is completed. (Amy Davis /Baltimore Sun)
- Tim Phebus and Elisha Rowe of Thomas Moore Studios use a stencil to paint trompe l’oeil chevrons on the ceiling return in the main auditorium. (Amy Davis /Baltimore Sun)
- Artist Thea Osato repainted the stenciled designs on columns near the stage in the original auditorium. (Amy Davis /Baltimore Sun)
- Craftsman Norman Wesson takes a measurement from the walnut veneer paneling that he restored in the lobby. (Amy Davis /Baltimore Sun)
- Norman Wesson’s artistry can be seen in the restoration of the walnut paneling in the lobby, other cabinetry work, and new wood and marble faux finishes throughout the interior. (Amy Davis /Baltimore Sun)
- The north wing of the Senator Theatre fronting York Road has been bumped out to accommodate a new wine bar which will have sidewalk seating. (Amy Davis /Baltimore Sun)
- Jessica Turner rubs down a column in the inner lobby to add patina to the faux wood finish. She has been working under the tutelage of Norman Wesson. (Amy Davis /Baltimore Sun)
- The largest of the three additional screening rooms, on the south side of the Senator Theatre, will have about 130 seats. (Amy Davis /Baltimore Sun)
- This is a detail of one of the murals in the lobby that were restored by Thomas Moore Studios. (Amy Davis /Baltimore Sun)
- Buzz Cusack opens the folding windows which look out onto the sidewalk of York Road where additional seating will be added in the new wine bar addition to the Senator Theatre. (Amy Davis /Baltimore Sun)
- A swatch of a new wall covering that is similar to the one in the original interior is tacked on the wall of the main auditorium above color paint samples. (Amy Davis /Baltimore Sun)
- A curved wall in keeping with the Art Deco design of the 1939 Senator Theatre has been added along Rosebank Avenue to contain one of three additional screening rooms. The other two new screening rooms will be on the north side. (Amy Davis /Baltimore Sun)