Hippodrome Theatre (Baltimore) facts for kids
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| Address | 12 N. Eutaw St. Baltimore, Maryland |
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| Public transit | Baltimore Arena |
| Owner | Maryland Stadium Authority |
| Operator | Key Brand Entertainment |
| Capacity | 2,300 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1914 |
| Rebuilt | 2004 |
| Architect | Thomas W. Lamb |
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Hippodrome Theatre
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| Area | 0.4 acres (0.16 ha) |
| Built | 1914 |
| Architect | Lamb, Thomas White; Singer-Pentz Construction Co. |
| Architectural style | Beaux Arts |
| NRHP reference No. | 99001670 |
| Added to NRHP | January 14, 2000 |
The Hippodrome Theatre is a famous theater located in Baltimore, Maryland. It first opened its doors in 1914 and has been a major entertainment spot for over a century. Today, it is a key part of the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center.
A Look Back at the Hippodrome's History
The Hippodrome Theatre was built in 1914. It was designed by Thomas W. Lamb, a very well-known architect who designed many theaters. When it first opened, the Hippodrome was the largest theater south of Philadelphia. It could hold 2,300 people.
The theater was a popular place for vaudeville shows. Vaudeville was a type of entertainment with many different acts, like comedians, singers, and dancers. The Hippodrome also showed movies. It was a very busy place, with about 30,000 people visiting each week in the 1920s.
Famous Performers and Movie Magic
Many famous stars performed at the Hippodrome in the 1930s. These included Jack Benny, Milton Berle, Bob Hope, and Frank Sinatra. Sinatra even performed there for the first time with Harry James.
Live shows stopped in 1959, but the theater continued to show movies for many years. The Hippodrome finally closed its doors in 1990. It was the last movie theater left in downtown Baltimore at that time.
Bringing the Hippodrome Back to Life
After closing, the Hippodrome was used as a filming location for a movie in 2000. But its biggest change came with a major renovation project.
The theater was completely rebuilt and reopened in 2004. This big project combined the old Hippodrome with two other historic buildings nearby. The goal was to create a modern performing arts center. The Maryland Stadium Authority helped lead this huge effort.
Today, the Hippodrome Theatre is a busy place once again. It hosts many different live shows and performances, bringing entertainment back to downtown Baltimore.
