The DC Office of Motion Picture and Television Development is pleased to recognize the Warner Theatre in Northwest Washington as the August 2014 One City Location of the Month. The Warner Theatre is a 75,000 square foot classical and monumental theatrical space that is known for its regal façade and grand auditorium. The theater is located in the heart of downtown DC and is currently available all-year round for special events, concerts, receptions, private events, and corporate meetings.
The Warner Theatre is one of the most magnificent historical venues located at the center of the city’s vibrant Pennsylvania Quarter arts district, just three blocks from the White House. The 1,847-seat theatre is composed of 112 Grand Suite seats, 20 Loge seats and 16 ADA locations. Additionally, the Warner has 11 dressing rooms and a lobby that can hold 300 guests for a standing reception. Architects C. Howard Crane and Kenneth Franzheim created an 18th century London splendor for the Warner theatre by installing golden ceilings, chandeliers, and unobstructed vistas for the theatre guests.
The theater opened as the Earle Theatre in 1924 for vaudeville and silent movies. The Earle switched to a movies-only policy in 1945 after it was purchased by Harry Warner, one of the Hollywood's Warner Brothers, and the name was changed to the Warner Theatre. The auditorium was redesigned for Cinerama movies to adapt to Hollywood’s growing entertainment industry in the 1950’s, and by the 1970s it had become a destination for concerts. Throughout the 1980’s, the theatre became very popular with its diverse selection of local plays and concerts in the genres of soul, jazz, punk, world music, heavy metal, and funk.
In 1989, the theater underwent massive renovations under the Warner Theatre renovation project, which was funded with grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Office of Economic Development (OED). The theater renovations included custom draperies from Portugal, gilt adorning the walls and ceiling, and modern production, sound, and lighting equipment. The “new” Warner Theatre reopened on October 1, 1992 with a special performance by Frank Sinatra and Shirley MacLaine.
The Warner Theatre is currently operated by Live Nation, and it has been the destination for a number of televised events including the BET Honors, So You Think You Can Dance, and the upcoming Hispanic Heritage Awards in September. Many celebrities who have performed at the theater have been displayed on the Warner Theatre Walk of Fame, located in front of the theatre. In December, the Warner will celebrate its 90th Anniversary.
In 2011, the DC Film Office launched One City Location of the Month to bring attention to the wide range of varied, cinematically compelling locations that are available to film and television productions. Former One City Location of the Month recipients include the Anacostia Library in Southeast, Gallaudet University in Northeast, the Bellevue neighborhood in Southwest, and Ben’s Chili Bowl in Northwest.
To learn more about the Warner Theatre and to view photos, please visit the One City Location of the Month feature on our web site. If you are interested in using the Warner for a future filming location, please contact us at [email protected].