We were recently shooting a movie in the old Loew’s State Palace Theater. It’s been abandoned since Katrina and it smells like it.
In 1926, this was one fancy place. As Canal Street declined, the theater started hosting concerts and raves throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. In fact, after the storm, the marquee still read that Lil Wayne was to perform in November 2005 for 5 years.
The place is basically a rat hotel crossed with rat cemetery. There is still standing water in the basement from Katrina. Obviously, the water is not potable for humans, but it’s perfect for rats. The rats live here, die here, and eat whatever crap they can find as well as each other. Pretty disgusting place to work.
Here’s a quick tour that I edited down:
NO Adventure 
This theatre has been renovated and its interior used in a film due out tomorrow: ‘Now You See Me’.
By: Ysbryd on May 30, 2013
at 10:33 am
It hasn’t been renovated. It was just set dressed to look like it’s been renovated. The video on this post was shot on the Now You See Me set.
By: noadventure on May 30, 2013
at 11:04 am
I enjoyed the tour of the old projection booth. I patronized the Loew’s State in the late 50’s and most of the 60’s. Hard to believe that some of the old carbon arc equipment and film reels are still there. Good work, and thanks for sharing.
By: Michael on January 17, 2014
at 1:49 am