State Theater, Ann Arbor

The State Theatre is an operational former movie palace. The theater's central location and distinctive green, yellow and red marquee have made it an icon of Ann Arbor's downtown.

The theater was designed by architect C. Howard Crane, who had also designed the Fox Theatre, and was built in 1942. The theater was owned and operated by the Butterfield Theater Company until the 1980s, when ownership was transferred to the George Kerasotes Corporation. In 1979, under GKC's ownership, the original theater design was "quaded," with the balcony made into its own separate floor and the screen divided in half to produce four individual screening spaces. Relics of the theater's history can also be seen in its carpeting. The theater has promoted an 'indie' aesthetic by showcasing ultra-low-budget films in very limited release, such as Who Killed the Electric Car? and Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon.