Theater 1

A truly magical place, our original auditorium was built in 1929, designed to have the atmosphere and look of an outdoor Mediterranean theater, with twinkling stars and clouds overhead, and sandy stucco walls. The Music Box wasn’t a movie palace with thousands of seats, but a smaller, more modest neighborhood theater, just big enough to feel grand, but small enough to feel like home. One thing that makes it special today is that the auditorium remains intact, and was never chopped up into smaller theaters (a common fate for similar venues).

Theater 1 seats 700 people and has a native 1.85:1 screen with variable masking. Our Barco 4k digital cinema projector is capable of screening DCPs, Blu-rays, and XpanD active shutter 3D. We have two Century JJ film projectors capable of 35mm reel to reel projection as well as 70mm reel to reel projection. The Music Box is one of a small number of venues in the country still screening 70mm film.

Other unique technical capabilities include Variable Speed inverter motors on our 35mm projectors to screen silent films at the correct speed, and archival quality 16mm projection via our Eastman 16mm projector.

 

Images of the Theatre 1 film projector

 

The Big Screen

In order to get the most out of our large format 70mm film presentations without making permanent structural changes to our historic auditorium, we commissioned a special 36-foot wide “fast-fold” screen, lovingly referred to by audience members as “THE BIG SCREEN.” Designed by Kinora Cinema and Sound Service, the screen can be set up in a matter of hours for special wide-screen engagements like our 70mm Film Festival.

 

Installation process of the big screen for 70MM projection

 

Theater 1 Technical Capabilities

Auditorium Size: 700 seats

Screen Size: 16.5 x 31’ (Native Aspect Ratio 1.85, Variable Horizontal and Vertical Masking)

FILM: 

  • Century JJ 35/70mm Projectors, Eastman 25 16mm Projector
  • 70mm (magnetic and DTS sound) reel-to-reel system. 
  • 35mm  (optical, DTS, and Dolby Digital sound, variable speed) reel to reel system. 
  • 16mm (optical sound)

DIGITAL CINEMA: 

  • Digital Cinema Projector : 4k Barco DP4k-23B
  • Blu-ray and DVD (Oppo BDP-83) 5.1, 7.1
  • DoReMi 2K4 DCP server  5.1, 7.1
  • XpanD Active Shutter 3D system
  • Laptop connection: booth and stage, aux stereo input for audio

AUDIO: 

  • Alcons Audio 5.1 Sound System 

PUBLIC ADDRESS:

  • 3 Shure SM58 Wireless Mics
  • 2 Shure Beta 87A Wireless Mics
  • Mono XLR record out (line level)
     

PA is designed for speech reinforcement only, not live music. If you are planning a live music event you must hire an outside sound company and equipment.

Please Note: Our projection and sound systems are calibrated to SMPTE standards. The Music Box will not make adjustments in contrast, color, or brightness, or adjust the equalization of our sound system for any reason.

Information about Assistive Listening and other Accessibility devices can be found here. 
https://musicboxtheatre.com/about/assistive-technologies