Sound Cinema: The Varsity (and its Blues)

The Varsity Theater in the heart of the U District has been in operation since 1940. In 1985 the theater added two screens to make it a triplex that shows a mix of independent, blockbuster, and special engagement showings. It is operated by Far and Away Entertainment, a local company that owns and operates several movie theaters across Seattle and the Puget Sound.

The hardest thing to write about this theater is that it has obviously, painfully fallen on hard times. It has never been the premiere movie destination it might have been in its heyday, but lately the theater has taken a turn for the worse. The Ave (a local name for University Way) has been in flux for a while. Many longtime businesses shuttered within the last few years, and while there is still plenty of foot traffic on the street, people are not wandering around as much as they were. While I was outside the venue, two passersby looked at The Varsity's façade and asked, "This is a movie theater? Is it even open?"

South side of Varsity’s marquee, advertising $9 student tickets and celebrating 85 years in operation.

The Evergreen Echo

It’s very hard to tell with The Varsity. The old slots that used to hold movie posters have been vandalized and left bare because you couldn't see what is inside them anyway. The marquee has damaged panels that look like someone jumped up to hit them with their hand or threw something at them. The front door has broken glass that looks like someone tried to break in. It is tough to see it this way. This is especially hard as movie exhibition spaces in the U District have been closing their doors—both The Grand Illusion Cinema and the AMC 10 shuttered at the end of January of this year.

The Varsity has added charm to the neighborhood over the years. It is a place for students to hang out and catch the latest on the big screen without having to stray far from campus, and the theater promises a nice student discount. It is a beacon in an ever-changing and upwardly expanding neighborhood. In 2016, the city of Seattle rezoned the U District so that more high rises could be built. That means buildings like the Meister Building, erected in 1921, in which The Varsity resides, are being dwarfed and their charm diminished. The U District is not alone in its changing landscape as Ballard and Roosevelt have had their aesthetic altered by high rises.

Unfortunately for The Varsity, the charm on the inside of the space is dwindling as well. The main theater is on the ground floor while theaters 2 and 3 are up two flights of stairs. This is also where the restrooms are located. The men's room handle nearly broke off in my hand when I went to use it. I was in theater 2 and it was a standard setup with a gentle slope up to the seats in the back. Several seats in the theater were missing and had caution tape around their bases so no one would accidentally fall and hurt themselves trying to sit. While the theater itself is not pretty, it still makes a good exhibition space. The seats are perfectly spaced and comfortable and the theaters are small enough that everywhere has a good viewpoint. 

North side of Varsity’s marquee listing current showings

The Evergreen Echo

I was in a sparsely attended screening of Opus, a film about a group of journalists invited to a reclusive, but iconic pop star's compound to hear his first album in 30 years. The film is a horror comedy that has been out for a few weeks. It features great original music created for the film by the incomparable Nile Rodgers and a terrific performance by John Malkovich as the enigmatic pop star. While the film fails to live up to its highest ambitions, it's worth watching for those two aspects.

I cannot say I recommend The Varsity as a destination. It is not the type of theater you go to just for the experience of going somewhere you cannot experience elsewhere, but it is unique in this day and age. It is a classic theater with modern technology. It serves the needs of its neighbors. Student discounts and a curated selection of films keep The Varsity relevant to its patrons. 

Perhaps the community could grow to love it again, or perhaps UW could adopt the space for their film students and aficionados. If only we could get Far and Away to reinvest so that all the new towers springing up around it—filled with neighborhood newcomers—can create a customer base worthy of the theater The Varsity once was.

Façade of The Varsity, housed in the Meister Building on The Ave.

The Evergreen Echo