Morris A. Mechanic Theatre

Morris A. Mechanic Theatre

Morris A. Mechanic Theatre in 2008
Address	1 North Charles Street Baltimore, Maryland United States
Capacity	1,614
Construction
Opened	1967
Closed	2004
Demolished	2015
Years active	1967-2004

The Morris A. Mechanic Theatre was a playhouse at 1 North Charles Street that was part of the Charles Center of Baltimore, Maryland. The theatre was built by and named for owner Morris A. Mechanic who operated a number of theatres in the city such as the Stanton, Fords Grand Opera House, The Centre, The Century/Valencia Theatres, all of which he had demolished except for the Centre which has been restored and used as classroom space for Maryland Institute College Of Art and Johns Hopkins University Film Class.

Mechanic planned the theatre to replace the aging Ford's Grand Opera House which he had purchased in 1929 and had demolished in February 1964, replaced by a parking garage for Stewart's Department Store. A year later he also had the Stanton Theatre (located at 516 North Howard Street) demolished in July 1965 (also replaced by a parking lot) to avoid any competition with his new theatre which bore his name. Mechanic bought the theatre from The Stanley-Warner Co in February 1958 and changed the name to The Stanton in the fall of 1959, using it primarily for legitimate shows, closed circuit TV shows, variety shows, and movies and also including live performance shows which he leased to JF Theatres. He engaged architect John M. Johansen who designed the building in a style he termed “functional expressionism”, also known as brutalism. Mechanic chose the site formerly occupied by offices of The Baltimore Sun.

Mechanic died in 1966 from a heart attack while the building was under construction and his widow, Clarisse, Mayor Theodore McKeldin and Eugene M. Feinblatt, chairman of the Baltimore Urban Renewal and Housing Agency, presided over the opening gala January 16, 1967. For many years, the theater was Baltimore’s primary venue to host touring Broadway plays and helped the city shed its reputation as a “lousy theatre town.” However, in the 1980s and 1990s, producers felt that the theatre was too small and outdated to accommodate the larger shows of the era.

Jujamcyn Theaters began managing the Mechanic in 1998. SFX (later Clear Channel Entertainment) bought Jujamcyn's production arm in 2000. The theater ceased operation in 2004 when the restored Hippodrome Theatre reopened. Clear Channel Entertainment operated the Hippodrome and chose not to renew its lease on the Mechanic.