Locust Street Theater

I've passed by this old theater a million times but have never researched it. Built for Vaudeville performances in 1909, it became a movie house at some point. In 1952, the former manager died and his collection of playbills and reviews were given to the city's library. I have done only a little searching thus far, but there was also a "Locust Street Theater" downtown (a playhouse), whereas this one is in West Philadelphia at 52nd Street. I've just spent a long time looking at old newspaper photos of the city's theaters, and I discovered an image of still another one that I know a story from, and that's delightful.

Since 1980 the building has been home to the Bushfire Theater, which was created in the long-abandoned cinema with much involvement from the community. In that same period, many of Philly's best-known and oldest Theaters were being torn down. It's nice that this one survived. One of these days I'll have to stop in to see a show there!