Sat. Oct. 26 

Doors – 6:00 PM 

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM 

Film – 8:00 PM  

1hr 23min | R | Horror | USA 

After Party – 10:00 PM - Midnight 

Tickets – $10 

Full bar 

Costume contest 

Halloween themed art and music 

A night of film, art, and seasonal vibes to benefit the Senate Theater!

Join us for a special screening of Tobe Hooper’s disturbing and influential horror classic The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Much like the Senate Theater, this independent, low-budget sensation—a grimy bit of 1970s cinematic grit—has endured for decades and is sure to capture your imagination. Unlike the Senate Theater, it follows a group of hapless travelers, lost and reeling in the oppressive heat of the Texas summer, who stumble upon a family of cannibals. Things do not go well. 

But at least you can help keep the music and movies alive in Southwest Detroit! 

All proceeds support the Senate Theater and the further restoration of our historic Mighty Wurlitzer theater pipe organ. 

In addition to our usual film screening, you can expect an extra special spooky organ overture, costume contest, art show, eerie seasonal music, and a full bar. Admission starts at $10 but further donations of any amount are graciously accepted.  

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and The National Endowment for the Arts.

Parking is available in our gated lot, on Gilbert, and Michigan Avenue

Saturday, Jan. 14

VIP Entry – 7:00

Doors – 7:30 PM

Organ Overture—7:30 PM

Film – 8:00 PM

Tickets - $12

VIP Tickets - $25 (See below for details)

1hr 19min | NR | Documentary | USA

The Senate Theater is proud to present this screening of the locally and lovingly produced documentary, Boblo Boats: A Detroit Ferry Tale, the winner of the Hometown Talent Award and Opening Night Film at the Freep Film Festival. Narrated by local music legend Martha Reeves, the film tells a story of local history and contemporary preservation efforts surrounding the long shuttered Boblo Island amusement park and its ferry boats. With whimsicality and magical realism Boblo Boats: A Detroit Ferry Tale creates a fantastical atmosphere in keeping with the collective memory of that bygone bit of Shangri-La in the Detroit River. 

This may be your only chance to see this film in a theater, and it is sure to be a memorable night, filled with a sense of community, nostalgia and hope for renewal. A portion of each ticket will go towards historical preservation: one portion to the upkeep and restoration of the Senate and its priceless theater organ, and the another towards the ongoing efforts to restore the “Boblo Boat” Ste. Claire steamboat which was severely damaged by fire in 2018. Attendees can also expect an organ overture featuring Boblo Island music, plus a question-and-answer session with the filmmaker and the Ste. Claire Restoration Project. Additionally, there will be a 50/50 raffle with prizes for attendees with all proceeds going to the Ste. Claire restoration. 

Synopsis: 

When Ste. Claire and SS Columbia sounded their whistles, every Detroit kid knew it heralded the coming of summer and the magic of ferrying over to nearby Boblo Island Amusement Park. After 85 years of operation, these two sister steamships – the oldest in America - awaken from a deep slumber to find a devoted team of enthusiasts have set out to rescue them from their deteriorating state. SS Columbia has been whisked away to New York while Claire's fate rests in the hands of an unlikely band of heroes: a doctor, a psychic, and an amusement park fanatic. Martha Reeves, the Motown legend with a lilting voice, narrates this revelatory fable-doc that’s full of heart and hard truths about a challenging restoration, the iconic amusement park’s exciting yet whitewashed history, and the intoxicating ways that nostalgia can inspire and blur memories. 

Go to Bobloboatdetroit.com for more information on the Ste. Claire restoration efforts. 

  
Check out bobloboatsfilm.com to learn more about this remarkable Detroit-centric film. 

VIP ADMISSION INCLUDES: 

• Early entry (7:00) to theater for behind the scenes tour 

• Free small popcorn 

• $5 discount on movie and St. Clare Restoration project merch 

• Vintage design souvenir ticket 

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and The National Endowment for the Arts. 

Join us for a night of film, art, and seasonal vibes to benefit the restoration of the Mighty Wurlitzer!

Halloween Party at the Senate—A John Carpenter Themed Fundraiser

Sat. Oct. 29
Doors – 6:00 PM
Organ Overture - 7:30 PM
Film – 8:00 PM | 1hr 31 min | R | Horror | USA
After Party 10:00 PM - Midnight
Tickets - $6 (with optional donation)
Full Bar | Costume contest | Halloween themed art | Dark and eerie John Carpenter music

It’s the Saturday before Halloween and a force of nature has wreaked havoc on the vital parts of our most precious organ. No, we don’t mean Michael Myers, that personification of evil with a William Shatner mask and a fondness for knives. And the organ we’re talking about doesn’t pump blood. No, the organ in question is the Senate Theater’s Mighty Wurlitzer theater organ. The force of nature is time.

Enjoy this special screening of the classic 1978 Halloween where all proceeds support further restoration of the historic Senate Theater Wurlitzer. In addition to a very special Halloween organ overture, expect a costume contest judged by Michael Myers himself, an art show, the eerie music of John Carpenter, and a full bar. Admission will remain $6 but donations of any amount are graciously accepted.

And now, about the movie:

If you don’t know, John Carpenter’s Halloween is one of the most revered, respected and influential horror films of all time. It tells the story of a single-minded and silent psychopath who has recently escaped from a mental institution and stalks a group of teenagers on Halloween night. Using Hitchcock’s Psycho as inspiration, it even stars Jamie Lee Curtis, daughter of the earlier film’s Janet Leigh. A huge success with audiences and ultimately with the critics, Halloween set off an explosion in horror cinema, spawning dozens of imitators and a slew of sequels, remakes, and reboots.

The spare yet striking visuals, moody and minimalist score, suspense-soaked screenplay, and playfully dark humor have been expanded upon, reimagined, and even, arguably, improved upon. There is nothing, however, quite like the original So grab your friends, don your Halloween best and come party for a cause at the Senate Theater.

Halloween Party at the Senate is Sponsored by:

The Senate Theater and The Detroit Theater Organ Society is supported by The Michigan Arts and Culture Council and The National Endowment for the Arts.