Entry No. 71 — the New Orleans file — filed under: after-dark
Prytania Theatre Midnight Movies
The Prytania is the oldest single-screen movie house in Louisiana, a century-old neighborhood theater run by the Brunet family with a 4K projector and Dolby 7.1 sound. After regular showtimes it flips into late-night mode, running midnight cult classics and a recurring Rocky Horror Picture Show with a live shadowcast from The Well-Hung Speakers, prop kits included. Friday and Saturday the box office stays open until 1 a.m.
The story
Since 1915, this single screen on Prytania Street has been quietly anchoring Uptown moviegoing, making it Louisiana's oldest continuously operating cinema. Run by the Brunet family, the theater keeps one foot grounded in old-school projection heritage—capable of running rare 35mm and 70mm film prints—and the other in modern specs, packing a crisp 4K projector and Dolby 7.1 audio into a century-old room.
Once the daytime family crowds dissipate, the single-screen auditorium shifts into its late-night skin under the banner of Night Vision. The program drops prestige cinema in favor of rowdy cult rituals. Monthly screenings of notoriously unhinged features like *The Room* share space with recurring runs of *The Rocky Horror Picture Show*, where local shadowcast troupe The Well-Hung Speakers acts out the film frame-for-frame in front of the screen while rice and toast fly through the air.
What it's like
Roll up to Prytania Street on a Friday or Saturday night when the box office remains unlocked until 1 a.m. Inside, the art-deco nostalgia quickly gives way to a boisterous crowd clutching brown paper prop kits. If you are there for Rocky Horror, expect shouting back at the screen, floor-level theatricals, and flying carbohydrates. Catch: late-night screenings are scheduled events rather than a daily occurrence, so confirm the lineup online before trekking Uptown.
The move: Buy two midnight tickets to Rocky Horror, grab a prop kit, and throw rice and toast at the screen alongside the shadowcast.
📍 Before you go Midnight and Rocky Horror shows are scheduled on specific nights, not nightly; check theprytania.com for the current late-night lineup.
- 📍 Uptown
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 5339 Prytania St, New Orleans, LA 70115
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Cure — Start the night with craft cocktails in a converted Freret Street firehouse before walking down to Prytania for a midnight feature.
- Rendezvous Tavern — Kill an hour playing pinball at this long-running Magazine Street neighborhood bar before the late-night box office opens.
- The Tree of Life (Etienne de Boré Oak) — Take an early evening walk under Audubon Park's sprawling live oak canopy before heading over to Prytania Street for the dark.
Good to know
When do midnight movies run?
Midnight movies and shadowcast events are scheduled on select Friday and Saturday nights rather than daily. The box office stays open until 1 a.m. on show nights, but you should check the website schedule ahead of time.
What comes in a Rocky Horror prop kit?
The theater hands out prop kits equipped with classic interactive items—like toast and rice—meant to be thrown at designated moments during the movie alongside the shadowcast.
Can the theater project actual film prints?
Yes. Alongside its primary 4K digital projector and Dolby 7.1 sound setup, the theater retains traditional projection equipment capable of running 35mm and 70mm film formats.
Who operates the Prytania Theatre?
The venue is operated by the Brunet family, who have maintained the location as Louisiana's oldest single-screen movie theater.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Wikipedia · myneworleans.com · Yelp · tulanehullabaloo.com
last checked: 2026-06-23