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Majestic Theater (Detroit, Michigan)
Encyclopedia
The Majestic Theatre is a theatre located at 4126-4140 Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan
. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 2008.
Today, the theatre is mainly a music venue. It hosts a variety of musical concerts in three separate areas of the building: The Majestic, The Majestic Cafe, and The Magic Stick.
, opened on April 1, 1915. The theatre originally seated 1,651 people (at the time the largest theatre in the world built for the purpose of showing movies), and the facade was designed in an arcaded Italian style. In 1934, the front 35 feet of the theatre were removed when Woodward Avenue was widened to its present size. The entire facade was redesigned into its current striking Art Deco
motif. The theater now boasts the largest enameled metal panel Art Deco facade in the Detroit metropolitan region.
The theatre eventually closed, and the building was used as a church for a time, and later as a photographic studio. It lay vacant for ten years. The present owner purchased the building in 1984.
There is a myth that legendary magician Harry Houdini
gave his last performance on stage here, on Halloween night 1926. In fact, Houdini last performed at the Garrick Theatre in Detroit and died a few days later of peritonitis at Detroit's Grace Hospital on October 31, 1926.
, Majestic Cafe, the Magic Stick, and Sgt. Pepperoni's. The Majestic houses live music acts, a bar, and you can also bowl or play Billiards.
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 2008.
Today, the theatre is mainly a music venue. It hosts a variety of musical concerts in three separate areas of the building: The Majestic, The Majestic Cafe, and The Magic Stick.
History
The Majestic Theatrer, designed by C. Howard CraneC. Howard Crane
Charles Howard Crane was an American architect.Born in Hartford, Connecticut, Crane established a practice in Detroit, Michigan early in the 20th Century. Like Thomas W. Lamb and John Eberson, Crane specialized in the design of movie palaces in North American...
, opened on April 1, 1915. The theatre originally seated 1,651 people (at the time the largest theatre in the world built for the purpose of showing movies), and the facade was designed in an arcaded Italian style. In 1934, the front 35 feet of the theatre were removed when Woodward Avenue was widened to its present size. The entire facade was redesigned into its current striking Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
motif. The theater now boasts the largest enameled metal panel Art Deco facade in the Detroit metropolitan region.
The theatre eventually closed, and the building was used as a church for a time, and later as a photographic studio. It lay vacant for ten years. The present owner purchased the building in 1984.
There is a myth that legendary magician Harry Houdini
Harry Houdini
Harry Houdini was a Hungarian-born American magician and escapologist, stunt performer, actor and film producer noted for his sensational escape acts...
gave his last performance on stage here, on Halloween night 1926. In fact, Houdini last performed at the Garrick Theatre in Detroit and died a few days later of peritonitis at Detroit's Grace Hospital on October 31, 1926.
Current use
The Majestic Theatre operates as part of the Majestic Theatre Centre, which includes the nearby Garden BowlGarden Bowl
The Garden Bowl is a bowling alley located at 4104-4120 Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. It is the oldest continuously operating bowling alley in the country. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.- History :...
, Majestic Cafe, the Magic Stick, and Sgt. Pepperoni's. The Majestic houses live music acts, a bar, and you can also bowl or play Billiards.