At some point in your life traveling around New York State, you’ve probably come across a Strand Theater. If you’ve been around the block a few times, you’ve probably noticed more than a couple and wondered, why are they all named the Strand?
Well it all roots back to the streets of London, where the most famous theater district in the late 19th and early 20th century was named The Strand. The Royal Strand Theatre, originally built in 1832 was one of many such theaters on this row. Think of it like our modern Broadway in New York City.
Fast forward to 1914, when two brothers , Mitchel and Moses “Moe” Mark, built a theater on Broadway named after this very street in London. It was said to be the first in New York City’s Theater District to show only films and not live shows (it was demolished in 1987).
This Strand Theater was so immensely popular, the brothers formed The Mark Strand Theater Company and launched a chain, later bought by Warner Brothers and spread across America on a massive scale.
Although no exact number is known, there were hundreds of Strand theaters dotting the U.S. at their peak between 1920s and 1940s. But as the years went on more theaters rebranded or closed their doors completely.
Still, some of these original theater chains still exist across the country. You can explore some of the select few still operating in New York State in an essay by Ryan Bieber at our arts and culture reporting partner NYS Music.
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Illustration: The original NY Strand Theater on Broadway in Manhattan.
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