The Miracle Theatre
| The Miracle Theatre | |
|---|---|
 The facade of The Miracle Theatre | |
Interactive map of the The Miracle Theatre area | |
General information | |
| Location | 535 8th Street SE, Washington D.C., United States |
| Coordinates | 38°52′54″N 76°59′43″W / 38.8817°N 76.9953°W |
| Opened | December 27th, 1909 |
| Owner | National Community Church |
The Miracle Theatre is a single-screen movie theater and live events venue located in the Barracks Row neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Opening in 1909, it is the city's oldest operating movie theater.[1] It is now owned and operated by National Community Church.[1]
History
The Miracle Theatre opened on December 27, 1909 as The Meader Theater.[1] Seating 480, it had a single screen, as well as a stage. Specializing as a vaudeville theater, it showed motion pictures and hosted live entertainment.[2] The theater changed names and ownership multiple times leading up to the 1960's including: The New Meader Theater in 1924, The Family Theater in 1930, and The Academy Theater in 1933.[3][4]
During its time as The Academy Theater, the space transitioned into specializing in screenings of Westerns and foreign films, lasting until the 1960's.[3] In 1962, The Peoples Church (now known as the People's Congregational United Church of Christ) bought the building. They renovated the space and held services until 2011.[1] On March 23, 2011, National Community Church purchased the building and began efforts to restore the building back into a historic theater.[1] In May 2016, the space reopened under its current name: The Miracle Theatre, an homage to its life as a church. It ran as a second run theater and a community space until 2026.[1]
Today
The Miracle Theatre now specializes in limited screenings and live events.[5] It hosts film series events periodically throughout the year, as well as local premiers, film festivals, and private screenings.[6] It can be rented out for special events.[7] The theater is also partnered with the live events group Union Stage and hosts concerts, comedy shows, podcasts, and spoken word performances including The Moth's StorySLAM.[8]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "About | The Miracle Theatre". themiracletheatre.com. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
- ↑ Tristani, Nina (2026-03-04). "A Brief History of Capitol Hill Theaters | HillRag". Retrieved 2026-03-04.
- 1 2 Tristani, Nina (2026-03-03). "A Brief History of Capitol Hill Theaters | HillRag". Retrieved 2026-03-04.
- ↑ Jenkins, Mark (July 2, 2012). "Century-old movie theater in Capitol Hill to reopen as the Miracle". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 7, 2026.
- ↑ "Live Events | The Miracle Theatre". themiracletheatre.com. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
- ↑ "Movies | The Miracle Theatre". themiracletheatre.com. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
- ↑ "Rent | The Miracle Theatre". themiracletheatre.com. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
- ↑ "Our Story". www.unionstagepresents.com. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
External links
