Strand Theatre
543 Columbia Road,
Dorchester,
MA
02125
543 Columbia Road,
Dorchester,
MA
02125
3 people
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Related Websites
Strand Theatre, Dorchester (Official)
Additional Info
Firms: Funk and Wilcox
Functions: Community Arts Center
Styles: Adam, Neo-Classical
Phone Numbers:
Box Office:
617.635.1403
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Sep 24, 2004 — Today's Newsreel
This grand old Boston neighborhood movie palace was opened November 11, 1918. It was closed in the mid-1970’s. As Dorchester declined, so went the theatre.
Fortunately, though, this theatre has been gloriously restored for use by the community.
Contributed by
Ron Newman
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Recent comments (view all 38 comments)
Today’s Boston Sunday Herald states that a Halloween “Boo Bash” will be held this afternoon at the Strand Theatre. The event is free. So many events at the Strand have free admission, which means no revenue coming in.
The Broadway musical “Ain’t Misbehavin'” comes to the Strand for a three-day run starting tomorrow, starring 2003 American Idol Winner Ruben Studdard. Today’s Boston Globe has a long article on the show and the theatre’s recent restoration.
This week’s Dorchester Reporter has two long articles about the Strand’s failure to attract programming and serve the young people of the surrounding community as it did in the 1990s:
Despite millions in funding by city, little is happening at Strand Theatre
Once a haven for youth, Strand Theatre now seen more as history
I don’t know why the Strand Theatre’s web address keeps changing, but now it’s http://strandboston.com/ .
The Strand is listed at 543 Columbia Road in the 1921 edition of the Boston Register and Bus. Directory, Issue 85.
A 1979 booklet called “Living in Dorchester” (available at this link from Archive.org) cites architectural historian Douglass Shand Tucci as saying that Funk & Wilcox’s design for the Strand Theatre featured an Adamesque interior and a Classical Revival facade.
great lil theatre been there a few times long ago
This opened on November 17th, 1918
Here’s an article in “The Boston Phoenix” (21 November 1978) about the efforts of community arts groups and civic activists to save the Strand and turn it into the “Harriet McCormack Center for the Arts.”
https://archive.org/details/sim_boston-phoenix_1978-11-21_7_47/page/n1/mode/1up
Here, the building is listed on the website of the Society of Architectural Historians:
https://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/MA-01-DR11
Here’s a short write up about the Strand with some of my photos
I also host photography workshops at the theater every August if you’d like to see it for yourself. Here’s the link for more information.