Sat. Nov. 23 

Doors – 7:00 PM 

Film – 8:00 PM 

Tickets - $12 

2hr 31min | NR | War/Drama | United States 

Live Organ Accompaniment by John Lauter 

Silents at the Senate is proud to present The Big Parade, an epic romance set against the backdrop of global conflagration, with live organ accompaniment by theater organist John Lauter! 

This massive international hit tells the story of a wealthy young playboy (John Gilbert, perhaps the biggest marquee idol of the 1920s) who enlists in the U.S. Army to fight in the first World War. Expecting glory and adventure, he instead must confront the horrors of war, the likes of which only friendship and love can overcome. The Big Parade was MGM’s biggest success of the silent era, owing its success to its unflinching look at the realities of war and a stirring romance made real through the talents of its lead actors.  

And, as at every Silents at the Senate screening, the visual magic of cinema will be enhanced by the unmatched auditory majesty of our Mighty Wurlitzer theater pipe organ. This one-of-a-kind instrument was literally made to accompany silent films. There is no better way to see The Big Parade!  

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 

Parking is available in a gated parking lot on Gilbert St., behind the theater.

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

Silents at the Senate Presents: The Phantom of the Opera (1925) 
Sat. Oct. 12 
Doors – 7:00 PM 
Film – 8:00 PM 
Tickets - $12 
1hr 18min | NR | Horror/Drama | United States 
Live Organ Accompaniment by Tony O’Brien
Tarot readings before the show!

This spooky season Silents at the Senate is proud to present the 1925 adaptation of the world’s most famous gothic romance, The Phantom of the Opera, with live organ accompaniment by theater organist Tony O’Brien! 

Silent screen legend Lon “The Man of a Thousand Faces” Chaney stars as the title character. A seemingly supernatural figure, the “Phantom” terrorizes patrons and employees at the Paris Opera House, all in the hopes of furthering the career of Christine, a singer and object of his deranged affections. But the real star just might be Chaney’s self-devised make-up work. Nearly a century on this grotesque tour deforce still represents the pinnacle of cinema—how imagery can creep into our minds, lurk in the shadows, and strike with vengeance when we least expect it. 

And to that visual power the Senate will add the unmatched auditory majesty of a Mighty Wurlitzer theater pipe organ, an instrument literally made to accompany a silent film. There is no better way to see The Phantom of the Opera!  

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 

Doors - 2:00 PM 
Concert - 3:00 PM 
Tickets - $17 

The Detroit Theater Organ Society’s long running Organ Pops Concert series continues its 2024 season with yet another afternoon of songs and splendor at the Senate. This time around we’re combining the power of our Mighty Wurlitzer theater organ, (the eighth largest ever constructed) with the talents of veteran organist, Tony O’Brien! 

Don’t miss your chance to experience the majesty, nuance and diversity of sounds that only a theater pipe organ can provide. 

Whether you are a lifelong theater organ enthusiast or just a curious music lover, we hope to see you there! 

About the Artist: 

Hailing from the Detroit area, Mr. O’Brien is a trained theater organist with a degree in classical organ and many years of concert experience both domestically and internationally. It is this pedigree that provides him with the ability to create a diverse and technically impressive set of musical sounds at the organ console. His versatility allows him to both put on an exciting organ concert and accompany a silent film with the requisite timing and emotional resonance.  

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. 

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

Doors – 7:00 PM 

Film – 8:00 PM 

Tickets - $12 

Shorts Program: The Goat (1921) and One Week (1920)  

48min | NR | Comedy | United States  

Feature: Sherlock Jr. (1924) 100th Anniversary Screening! 

45min | NR | Comedy/Fantasy | United States 

Live organ accompaniment by Dennis Scott

A season of Silents at the Senate would not be complete without the timeless pairing of cinema and physical comedy—SLAPSTICK!

With two classic shorts and one short feature directed and starring the most deadpan titan of silent comedy, An Evening with Buster Keaton is sure to delight.  

Irate cops stepping into open elevator shafts, a crudely assembled house with teetering walls, a movie screen turned into a doorway toward which a dreamer falls, searching for a way back to his beloved. Even after a century or more, his films—overflowing with physicality, absurdity, mischief, and even wonder—remain as captivating and hilarious as ever. They are . . .

PURE MOVIE MAGIC!

And their magic will be made all the more powerful by the internationally known silent film accompanist out of Chicago, Dennis Scott. At the console of our Mighty Wurlitzer theater pipe organ, Mr. Scott is sure to show off our instrument’s kaleidoscopic tonal color without ever showing up the images on the screen as he creates a live film score in real time, right before your very ears! 

A LIVE FILM SCORE IN REAL TIME, RIGHT BEFORE YOUR VERY EARS!

Be sure to stick around after the show for a chance to ask the organist a question and take a tour of the organ pipe chambers. This is a rare opportunity to get an up-close look at the inner workings of this marvelous musical machine! 

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 

Parking is available in a gated parking lot on Gilbert St., behind the theater.

Doors – 7:00 PM 

Organ Overture – 7:30 PM 

Film – 8:00 PM 

Tickets - $6 

2hr 1min | PG | Sci-fi/Adventure | USA 

This Spring, in the year 2024, in this galaxy right here, the Senate implores you to join us in saying, “May the fourth be with you!” as we screen the film that started it all. 

Luke Skywalker begins a journey that will change the galaxy in Star Wars Episode IV - A New Hope. Nineteen years after the formation of the Empire, Luke is thrust into the struggle of the Rebel Alliance when he meets Obi-Wan Kenobi, who has lived for years in seclusion on the desert planet of Tatooine. Obi-Wan begin Luke’s Jedi training as Luke joins him on a daring mission to rescue the beautiful Rebel leader Princess Leia from the clutches of Darth Vader and the evil Empire. 

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. 

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