Maryland Theatre
The Maryland Theatre is a historic performing-arts and live-entertainment venue in downtown Hagerstown, Maryland.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The Maryland Theatre is a historic music and entertainment venue in the Arts and Entertainment District of downtown Hagerstown, Maryland. Opened in 1915, it developed from an early twentieth-century theater designed for live performance and motion pictures into one of the region’s principal performing-arts venues. The building’s original design was prepared by Hagerstown architect Harry E. Yessler in association with New York theater architect Thomas W. Lamb, with interior work by Arthur Brounet and construction by Hagerstown contractor George Wolfe. Its auditorium combines a primarily neoclassical character with Art Deco influences, including a prominent proscenium arch, tiered balconies, decorative boxes, and a fully restored Wurlitzer theater organ. The theater opened on May 10, 1915, with live entertainment that included the Tiller Sisters, the singing and dancing act The Big Surprise, and the Guzmania Trio of acrobats, followed by a screening of the film The Commuters. It continued operating through the early 1970s, but a fire on February 8, 1974 destroyed the front block and main lobby. The damaged front structure was demolished, and the theater’s interior was preserved and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. A rebuilding project produced a smaller lobby and a courtyard-style entrance, allowing the venue to reopen in 1978. The Maryland Theatre presents a broad program rather than specializing in one genre. Its calendar has included symphony-orchestra concerts, country and popular music, comedy, children’s programming, recitals, stage performances, and other touring or community events. The Maryland Symphony Orchestra performs at the venue regularly and has maintained its headquarters in the building since the 2019 expansion. In 2005, more than 81,000 patrons attended performances, illustrating the theater’s role as a significant cultural destination for Hagerstown and surrounding communities. The venue also has connections to film production: part of the 1994 motion picture Guarding Tess, starring Nicolas Cage and Shirley MacLaine, was filmed inside the theater. In 2010, the Maryland Theatre acquired the nearby McBare Building, a three-story Italianate commercial structure that partially stood in front of the theater. The building was used to support expanded office, concession, and lobby functions during the theater’s redevelopment. A major transformation began in 2018, when the 1978 lobby, the McBare Building, and the courtyard were removed to make way for a larger Performing Arts Complex. Designed by Grimm + Parker Architects, the project opened in October 2019. The completed complex added a broad lobby, cocktail lounge, Maryland Symphony Orchestra offices, a VIP suite, rehearsal stage, ballroom, concessions, seating areas, restrooms, and improved circulation between the theater’s principal levels. The redevelopment was undertaken alongside the expansion of the adjacent Barbara Ingram School for the Arts, strengthening the venue’s position within Hagerstown’s cultural and educational district. The Maryland Theatre has a seating capacity of 1,279. Its current identity combines historic theater architecture, regional performing arts, touring entertainment, community programming, and event-hosting capabilities. Although its audience and operations are primarily regional rather than international, its preserved auditorium, restored organ, long operating history, and expanded facilities make it an important cultural institution in Western Maryland.
History
The Maryland Theatre opened in Hagerstown on May 10, 1915. Its inaugural program combined live variety entertainment with motion pictures, reflecting the period’s emerging mixed-use theater model. The opening featured the Tiller Sisters, the singing and dancing act The Big Surprise, and the Guzmania Trio of acrobats, followed by a screening of The Commuters. The building was designed by Hagerstown architect Harry E. Yessler in association with New York theater specialist Thomas W. Lamb. Arthur Brounet of New York handled the interior design, while Hagerstown contractor George Wolfe built the structure. The original street-facing portion at 21–25 South Potomac Street was a five-story apartment block through which audiences entered the theater. Much of the building’s architectural character was concentrated inside the auditorium, whose design used neoclassical forms with Art Deco elements. A proscenium arch framed the stage, while decorative boxes and arched niches organized the auditorium and balcony levels. The theater also featured a Wurlitzer organ. The venue operated until November 1973. On February 8, 1974, a fire destroyed the front block and main lobby. The damaged front structure was subsequently demolished. Rather than reconstruct the original entrance block, the owners created a courtyard plaza and a smaller lobby as part of a reopening project completed in 1978. The surviving interior was recognized for its architectural and historical importance and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. During the following decades, the Maryland Theatre continued to function as a multipurpose cultural venue. It hosted music, comedy, family programming, recitals, stage productions, and other performances. The Maryland Symphony Orchestra became a regular presence, and the theater’s audience extended beyond Hagerstown into the surrounding Western Maryland region. In 1994, the building was used as a filming location for part of Guarding Tess. The institution began planning for additional space as its programming and operational needs grew. In 2010, it acquired the McBare Building, a three-story Italianate commercial building located partly in front of the theater. The McBare Building supported expanded functions, including concession operations and administrative or lobby space; its main-floor concession stand remained in use until 2018. In 2018, the theater’s 1978 lobby, courtyard, and McBare Building were demolished as part of a larger redevelopment into a Performing Arts Complex. The project was designed by Grimm + Parker Architects and was completed and opened in October 2019. The new complex added a much larger lobby, cocktail lounge, box office and concession areas, additional seating and circulation space, offices for the Maryland Symphony Orchestra, a VIP suite, rehearsal stage, ballroom, and other visitor amenities. The project was coordinated with the expansion of the adjacent Barbara Ingram School for the Arts. The Maryland Theatre now operates as a 1,279-seat venue serving live music, orchestral performances, comedy, children’s programming, recitals, stage shows, and special events. Its 2019 facilities broadened its capacity for hospitality and event use while retaining the historic auditorium and restored Wurlitzer organ as central elements of its identity.
- 2019
Expanded complex opens
[1]The expanded Performing Arts Complex opened in October with new public, administrative, rehearsal, hospitality, and event spaces.
- 2018
Performing Arts Complex construction begins
[1]The 1978 lobby, courtyard, and McBare Building were removed as work began on a major expansion.
- 2010
McBare Building acquired
[1]The Maryland Theatre acquired the adjacent McBare Building to support additional office, concession, and lobby functions.
- 1994
Used as a film location
[1]Part of Guarding Tess was filmed inside the theater.
- 1978
The venue reopens
[1]A rebuilt entrance arrangement with a courtyard plaza and smaller lobby enabled the theater to reopen.
- 1976
Interior receives historic-register recognition
[1]The theater’s interior was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1974
Front block destroyed by fire
[1]A fire on February 8 destroyed the theater’s front block and main lobby; the damaged structure was later demolished.
- 1915
The theater opens
[1]The Maryland Theatre opened on May 10 with live variety entertainment and a motion-picture screening.
Products and positioning
A historic regional performing-arts venue that combines preserved early twentieth-century theater architecture with contemporary concert, entertainment, hospitality, and community-event facilities.
Performing-arts venue · 1915
Historic auditorium
The principal 1,279-seat auditorium presents a wide range of live entertainment, including orchestral concerts, popular music, comedy, family programming, recitals, and stage performances. Its historic interior includes a prominent proscenium arch, decorative auditorium and balcony boxes, neoclassical detailing, Art Deco influences, and a restored Wurlitzer theater organ.
Event and cultural complex · 2019
Performing Arts Complex
Opened in 2019, the expanded complex added a full-width lobby, box office, concessions, cocktail lounge, VIP suite, ballroom, rehearsal stage, Maryland Symphony Orchestra offices, additional seating areas, and improved visitor circulation. These facilities support performances, hospitality, rehearsals, administrative work, and special events.
Historic musical instrument
Wurlitzer theater organ
The Maryland Theatre features a fully restored Wurlitzer theater organ, preserving an important element of the venue’s historic identity and enabling organ-related musical presentation within the auditorium.
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