Prytania Theatre

What Prytania Theatre does

Prytania Theatre is a family-owned independent cinema operator based in New Orleans, Louisiana, operating continuously since 1915. It runs two venues: the original historic Uptown single-screen theatre at 5339 Prytania St (220 seats, opened 1915, longest continually operated theatre in the American South) and the nine-screen Prytania Theatres at Canal Place inside Canal Place Mall in the French Quarter (333 Canal St). The Uptown location maintains vintage 35mm and 70mm film projection capability alongside state-of-the-art sound, and was one of only five theatres worldwide chosen to screen Ryan Coogler's Sinners in 70mm.

The business serves multiple customer segments including local cinephiles, horror fans (monthly Rocky Horror Picture Show with live shadow cast, Overlook Horror Screenings), families and groups (birthday parties, field trips, Summer Movie Series), festival and arthouse audiences (French Film Festival, Arthouse Theatre Day), and tourists visiting the French Quarter. Distribution combines physical box-office sales, online reservations via theprytania.com, and event-based bookings through a dedicated sales team.

Revenue is generated through per-ticket admissions (with $6 Tuesday discounts), concessions and a full-service bar, a Cinema Club monthly subscription ($29.99/month for up to 3 movies/week), private venue rentals (birthdays, corporate screenings, field trips), gift cards, and merchandise. The company is operated by the Brunet family across three to four generations of New Orleans theatre ownership tracing back to 1908, with no external capital, private equity involvement, or acquisition activity disclosed.

Name

Prytania Theatre

Website

https://theprytania.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1915

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Prytania Theatre is a family-owned independent cinema operator in New Orleans running two locations — a historic 1915 single-screen Uptown theatre with 35mm/70mm capability and a nine-screen Canal Place multiplex — offering film screenings, subscriptions, and private rentals to locals and tourists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Movie Theater and Film Exhibition Services

NAICS

Motion Picture Theaters (except Drive-Ins) (512131), Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Special Event Screenings & Pop-up Cinemas (MPADAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Screenings & Venue Rentals (Corporate, Parties) (MPADAKAJ), Alternative Content Exhibition (Live Broadcasts, Concert Films, Sports, Opera) (MPADAKAG), Cinema Concessions & On-site F&B Operations (MPADAKAN)

Keywords

• Independent cinema operations
• Film exhibition services
• Movie theater rentals
• Cinema subscription programs
• Historic theater operations

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue from admission tickets to movies, with standard pricing and discounted $6 Tuesday tickets. Special events like Rocky Horror may have different pricing.
2. Concessions and Merchandise: On-site concessions including full service bar, coffee station, and standard movie snacks. Merchandise available through online shop.
3. Cinema Club Subscription: Monthly subscription program at $29.99 + tax providing up to 3 movies per week. Valid at both locations. Special events excluded from subscription.
4. Gift Cards: Digital gift vouchers available for purchase, allowing recipients to attend movies and purchase concessions.
5. Private Rentals and Events: Birthday parties, field trips, VIP private screenings, and corporate rentals. Contact sales team for pricing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Prytania Theatre operates two cinema locations in New Orleans: a historic single-screen Uptown venue (1915, 220 seats) and a nine-screen multiplex at Canal Place in the French Quarter. The core offering is film exhibition across first-run features, classic movie series, cult/horror screenings, 35mm and 70mm film presentations, and special event programming such as Fathom Events, Academy Awards watch parties, and live sports broadcasts. The business also sells private theatre rentals, a monthly Cinema Club subscription ($29.99), gift cards, and concessions including a full-service bar.

Product overview

Prytania Theatre is a historic cinema operator in New Orleans with two distinct venues: the original single-screen Uptown Prytania Theatre (opened 1915, 220 total seats) and the modern nine-screen Canal Place location in the French Quarter. The company offers a subscription program (Prytania Cinema Club at $29.99/month for 3 movies/week), classic and special event screenings including Rocky Horror Picture Show with live shadow cast, 35mm and 70mm film presentations, birthday party rentals, and gift card products. The theaters also host Fathom Events, live sports broadcasts, and seasonal programming like the Summer Movie Series for kids.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Prytania Theatre (Uptown) The original single-screen historic cinema located at 5339 Prytania St, New Orleans, operating since 1915 with 204 floor seats and 16 balcony recliners. Features a state-of-the-art projection and sound system that supports 35mm, 70mm, and digital formats while preserving vintage charm including chandeliers, hand-painted marquees, memorabilia, a full service bar, and a coffee station.
• Prytania Theatres at Canal Place Nine-screen state-of-the-art digital cinema located in Canal Place Mall in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Operated by the Brunet family as a modern expansion of the historic Uptown location, offering first-run films with the $6 Ticket Tuesday discount program.
• Prytania Cinema Club Subscription Monthly subscription membership program at $29.99 + tax providing up to 3 movies per week (Monday-Sunday) at both Prytania Theatre locations. Subscription is non-transferable and valid for one guest only; special events such as Rocky Horror Picture Show, Fathom Events, and live sports are excluded.
• Classic Movie Series

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Ryan Coogler (Director)notableOthersDirector Ryan Coogler used the Uptown Prytania Theatre during the creation of his film Sinners to run testing and determine what kind of film stock to use. The theatre was subsequently one of only 5 theatres in the world chosen to screen a 70mm film print of Sinners.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Alamo Drafthouse Cinema: Specialty cinema chain known for repertory programming, event screenings, and curated theatrical experiences. Closely comparable to Prytania's event-driven model (special events, classic films, themed programming) though operating at much larger chain scale.
• Coolidge Corner Theatre: Historic single-screen arthouse cinema in Brookline, MA operating since 1933. Like Prytania, it is a nonprofit/community-oriented arthouse with curated programming, special events, and a multi-decade operating history that competes on differentiated experience rather than scale.
• Nuart Theatre: Historic single-screen arthouse cinema in West Los Angeles operated by Laemmle Theatres. Mirrors Prytania's vintage single-screen model with curated independent and repertory programming.
• Angelika Film Center: Arthouse cinema chain with locations in NYC and other metros. Comparable to Prytania's Canal Place location in focusing on independent, foreign, and specialty film exhibition for cinephile audiences.
• The Grand 1894 Opera House: Historic single-venue performing arts/exhibition space in Galveston, TX operating since 1894. Comparable historic Southern venue with mixed programming (films, live events, rentals) similar to Prytania's diversification model.
• The Brattle Theatre: Historic single-screen arthouse cinema in Cambridge, MA founded in 1890. Operates as a nonprofit repertory cinema with curated special programming (similar to Prytania's classic movie series and festival partnerships) and a comparable vintage character.
• Landmark Theatres: Independent and arthouse cinema chain acquired by Cohen Media Group. Operates specialty theatres with curated programming similar to Prytania's arthouse/festival orientation, though at national scale.

Emerging players

• IPIC Theaters: Luxury dine-in cinema chain with premium seating and food service. Comparable to Prytania's full-service bar and concession model, though IPIC targets a more upscale, premium-priced segment.

Broad incumbents

• Regal Cinemas: Major US movie theatre chain owned by Cineworld. Competes with Prytania's Canal Place multiplex on mainstream film exhibition, scale, and amenities.
• AMC Theatres: Largest US movie theatre chain. Represents the mainstream multiplex competitor that Prytania's Canal Place location competes with on convenience and screen count, while Prytania's Uptown location competes on differentiated experience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PrytaniaTheatre
• Facebookfacebook.com/prytania.theatre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/prytaniatheatre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Prytania Theatre