A luxuriously restored 1945 Art Deco-style motion picture theater presenting first run films with a casual dining restaurant within the main auditorium. Traditional theater style seating in the balcony. Opened in 1945, the Commodore Theater was designed by noted Baltimore architect John J. Zink and built and operated by William S. "Bunkie" Wilder, a Portsmouth native. It is named for Commodore Barron, a veteran of the War of 1812, who is buried in the churchyard next door to the theater. The Art Deco theater has a nautical theme and two large murals depicting local and national history. The Commodore showed motion pictures and hosted community stage presentations until 1975, when it closed for 12 years. In 1987, Fred Schoenfeld purchased the theater and spent two and a half years restoring it. He re-opened the Commodore on December 21, 1989 as a first run movie theater with full service dining- the first such cinema-eater in the United States. Meeting stringent exhibition criteria for sound, image, and audience experience, the Commodore Theater earned THX-certification for excellence. The Commodore Theater is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Register of Historic Places.
Amenities
- LGBT Friendly
Region
Last Updated: 05/01/2019
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333 Waterside Dr.
Norfolk, VA 23510
