Presence

Baltimore's historic Senator Theatre is subject to foreclosure if they don't repay a $91,000 debt in less than two weeks; if they are unable to produce the money, the Theatre goes up for auction at the end of February. The Senator Theatre's website has a link to contribute via Paypal, but what they really need is some person or persons with deep pockets to step in and save the day.

The Baltimore Sun has a good article on the current situation, including details of the challenges of running a single-screen theatre in the age of the multiplex. I would like to think there are creative ways a small theatre could attract audiences, but I know very little about the film industry. The article also details the massive amount of debt the current owners have amassed, as well as the help the theatre has received from Baltimore City over the years.

Seeing a movie at the Senator is a unique experience; when going to a movie, I first check the Senator to see if it's playing there. I would hate to see the Senator close, although it seems from the articles that it's quite possible that the theatre would go up for auction and simply continue operating under new ownership; I'm sure there's a chance that won't happen as well.

[Update: A very interesting article from the City Paper on the dynamics of the film industry in Baltimore.]