Buskirk-Chumley Theater

The Buskirk-Chumley Theater is a historic live-performance and film venue in downtown Bloomington, Indiana, United States. Originally opened on December 11, 1922 as the Indiana Theatre, it was built by Harry P. Vonderschmitt during the 1920s movie-palace boom, when American theaters emphasized luxury to attract middle-class audiences. The opening night film was The Storm, starring House Peters and Virginia Valli, and a crowd of about 1,300 people — nearly ten percent of Bloomington's population at the time — attended. The theater survived a devastating November 1933 fire that caused roughly $200,000 in damage (about $3.7 million in 2016 dollars) and destroyed much of the surrounding block; the Vonderschmitts rebuilt and reopened within a few months. Today the venue is operated, managed, and promoted by BCT Management, Inc., a 501(c)(3) private non-profit organization. BCT Management also provides box office and ticketing services for various entities and arts programs around the City of Bloomington. The organization describes its mission as harnessing the power of human connection, creating engaging experiences, and fostering a deep appreciation for the arts within the community. Its stated vision is to be Bloomington's downtown anchor for entertainment, education, celebrations, and gatherings — honoring the past while looking toward the future. Core values include community relationships, creativity, education, equity, gratitude, stewardship, sustainability, and quality, with focus areas spanning community engagement, positive work culture, historic venue preservation, financial sustainability, and programming excellence. The theater presents a varied calendar of live music, film screenings, community events, and festivals. Recent and upcoming programming highlighted on its website includes a KPop Warriors Live Show, a screening of "Coyote vs Acme" (2026), and multiple Lotus Education & Arts Foundation events such as "Conversations in Bloom: A Symposium on Arts, Community, and Memory" and the Lotus Festival opening concert and multi-day passes. The venue also hosts a Textillery Gallery exhibit on its top floor documenting its history and the history of downtown movie theaters. As a historic community performance venue, the Buskirk-Chumley Theater functions as both a cultural landmark and an active presenter of arts programming in Bloomington. Its leadership includes Executive Director Steve Versaw, Business Director Kari Patrick, and Director of Operations Jordan Ferguson. The organization is governed by articles of incorporation and bylaws and is supported through donations and community partnerships.

The Buskirk-Chumley Theater, originally known as the Indiana Theatre, opened on December 11, 1922 in downtown Bloomington, Indiana. It was built by Harry P. Vonderschmitt as part of a national trend in which movie theaters of the 1920s emphasized luxury to attract middle-class viewers and enhance the on-screen world of fantasy. By the late 1920s, Americans were buying 95 million movie tickets each week, and theaters with seating capacities of 5,000 were not uncommon. The opening night film was The Storm, starring House Peters and Virginia Valli. A crowd of 1,300 people — nearly 10 percent of Bloomington's population at the time — turned out on a cold Monday night to celebrate the theater's opening. In November 1933, the Indiana Theatre burned nearly to the ground in a fire that destroyed much of the surrounding block and at one point threatened to spread to the Courthouse Square. The blaze caused $200,000 worth of damage (equivalent to about $3.7 million in 2016 dollars). Despite the devastation, the Vonderschmitts were able to rebuild and reopen within a few months. Theater fires were common in the early twentieth century because projection equipment produced a great deal of heat and film was highly flammable. Over the following decades the theater continued to operate as a movie house and downtown attraction. At some point it was renamed the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, though the exact date of the name change is not documented in the available evidence. The venue is now operated, managed, and promoted by BCT Management, Inc., a 501(c)(3) private non-profit organization. BCT Management also offers box office and ticketing services for various entities and arts programs around the City of Bloomington. The organization's mission is to harness the power of human connection, create engaging experiences, and foster a deep appreciation for the arts within the community. Its vision is to be Bloomington's downtown anchor for entertainment, education, celebrations, and gatherings — honoring the past while looking toward the future. Values include community relationships, creativity, education, equity, gratitude, stewardship, sustainability, and quality. Focus areas include community engagement, positive work culture, historic venue preservation, financial sustainability, and programming excellence. The theater today presents a diverse program of live music, film screenings, community events, and festivals. Its website lists upcoming events such as a KPop Warriors Live Show, a screening of "Coyote vs Acme" (2026), and multiple Lotus Education & Arts Foundation events including "Conversations in Bloom: A Symposium on Arts, Community, and Memory" and the Lotus Festival opening concert and multi-day passes. The theater also houses a Textillery Gallery exhibit on its top floor that documents its history and the history of downtown movie theaters in general. The exhibit is open during box office hours and during shows. Leadership of BCT Management, Inc. includes Executive Director Steve Versaw, who brings a 30-year global journey in music, performance, and world tours; Business Director Kari Patrick, who has served since 2017 and holds a Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management from Indiana University; Director of Operations Jordan Ferguson, a North Carolina native involved with the theater since moving to Bloomington in 2017; Events Associate Zachary Gutzwiller; and Concessions manager Jonathan Aker. The organization is governed by articles of incorporation and bylaws and is supported through donations and community partnerships.

• 2017

  Kari Patrick joins BCT Management, Inc. as Office Manager & Business Director.

• 2017

  Jordan Ferguson moves to Bloomington and becomes involved with the theater.

• 1933

  Theater burns nearly to the ground in November; rebuilt and reopened within a few months.

• 1922

  Indiana Theatre opens on December 11 with the film The Storm; 1,300 attend.

Bloomington's most historic community performance venue and downtown anchor for entertainment, education, celebrations, and gatherings.

• Live music concerts

• Film screenings

• Community events

• Festivals

• Ticketing services

• Venue rental

1. 1Home | Buskirk-Chumley Theaterbuskirkchumley.org
2. 2HISTORY | Buskirk-Chumley Theaterbuskirkchumley.org
3. 3ABOUT | Buskirk-Chumley Theaterbuskirkchumley.org
4. 4Management Team | Buskirk-Chumley Theaterbuskirkchumley.org
5. 5Buskirk-Chumley Theatre - Wikidatawikidata.org