The Prytania Theatre, New Orleans’ oldest operating theatre will open their Downtown New Orleans location, Prytania Theatres at Canal Place, this November 2020 in a 21,762 square foot space on the third level of the center. The theatres will occupy the former Theaters at Canal Place space.

“We are very excited to welcome The Prytania Theatres at Canal Place,” said Lisa Manzella, General Manager of Canal Place. “Both institutions have a long standing heritage of serving New Orleans residents and visitors, and we are thrilled to now have the Prytania as part of Canal Place. We couldn’t have asked for a better partner to bring our theatre back to life, and look forward to the stellar programming they will bring to this downtown location.”

The Prytania Theatre is the longest continually operated theatre in the South and is well-known for its eclectic selection of movies, alternating between modern blockbusters and classic films. The Prytania Theatres at Canal Place will be a multi-screen theatre and off classic snacks as well as a bar with a food menu in the future. The screens will allow for social distancing and the theatre will operate under all of the guidelines of CinemaSafe.org.

Locals may recall in 2012 that Prytania owner Rene Brunet co-authored “There’s One In Your Neighborhood—The Lost Movie Theaters of New Orleans”  with urbanologist Jack Stewart. The coffee table book chronicled more than 100 lost movie theaters in metro New Orleans. The book which now appears to be out of print detailed the nation’s first movie house, VitaScope Hall, which opened on Canal Street in 1896. The book jacket reads: “These entertainment venues were more than places where motion pictures were projected onto giant screens. They were community centers where people gathered and where memories were made.”

The primary Prytania Theatre location is currently showing “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Gremlins,” and more. For more information, visit their website.