The Varsity Theatre has stood as a campus landmark and entertainment source for decades. Although the outside appearance has changed little during the years, the inside has seen many changes.
The Varsity Theatre was built in 1934 as a movie theater that occupied the space currently known as The Chimes and The Varsity. The Theatre has changed significantly since the current owners purchased the Theatre 12 years ago, said Trent Graves, Varsity general manager.
Today students know the Theatre for its live band shows, but the Theatre has come a long way, reflecting the University’s changing student bodies’ entertainment likes.
In the 1970s, The Varsity was one of many movie theaters catering to college students.
The ’70s stereotypically are known as a time of free love and promiscuity, which is reflected in the movies from the period.
The Varsity Theatre “used to show a variety of films that were otherwise not available in Baton Rouge,” according to cinematreasures.org.
As movie theater, The Varsity primarily showed sexually-explicit adult films for $1.50 a person. Film titles shown include x-rated “The Liberated Woman,” “Dirty Lovers,” “Country Hooker,” “Did Baby Shoot Her Sugardaddy,” “Runaway Hormones” and “Sleazy Rider,” according to advertisements from “The Daily Reveille” in 1973.
An entertainment columnist from The Daily Reveille in 1973, Mike Konvicka called The Varsity the Vaseline Theater when he discussed The Varsity’s “scandalous” behavior for showing a movie with a decent title.
“Used to be, you could walk out here, pay your money and see all the trash you wanted,” he wrote.
The Varsity was only one of the theaters around campus that showed explicit films. Regina Theatre played the movie “Sexual Fantasies U.S.A.,” an audience-participation adult film that gave each audience an “erotic sensation profile,” according to 1973 advertisements from The Daily Reveille.
Besides film watching, many students participated in physical contact with each other during “submarine races” on the Campus Lake, according to an article by Dell Griffith from The Daily Reveille, which ran Jan. 10, 1974. He called the parking lot by the Campus Lake “The late-night-place-to-be, according to many,” because it had “secluded spots where young lovers park.”
The University itself provided generous entertainment in the ’70s. For around $5, students saw performances from such popular stars as Liza Minnelli, Barbara Streisand and the Beach Boys. The University also hosted free events, such as Halloween Horrors movie night in the Memorial Oak Grove, a performance by Arabian dancer Mongalist Oved and the movie “Orgy Rides Again” in the Union ballroom, according to 1973 advertisements from The Daily Reveille.
The Varsity Theatre, which changed its name to the Varsity Twin Cinema, showed more conservative films in the early 1980s. Movie titles played include “Raiders of the Last Ark,” “Blade Runner,” “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” “The Return of Martin Guerre” and “Cabaret” for $3 a show. Every Friday and Saturday at 12:30 a.m., they played “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” according to 1982 advertisements in The Daily Reveille.
The University provided free performances of the movies “It Happened One Night” and “Attack of the Killer Tomatoes.” The University also hosted performer Stevie Nicks from Fleetwood Mac and a cartoon fest for student entertainment.
In the 1980s, Chimes sold red beans and rice, spaghetti and other meals for less than $3. Chimes had live music performances from groups, including Bayou Rhythm.
The 1980s brought a new focus to the Varsity Theatre. The owners began hosting bands and serving po-boys and beer.
“We try to respond to what customers want,” said Doug Felton, Chimes general manager. “People cried for more food.”
He said they hired a professional chef and expanded the menu to make Chimes focused on food.
Felton said one of the reasons Chimes is successful is because former students who live in Baton Rouge still come, making the restaurant a family and student place.
He said Chimes has tried to keep up with students’ cutting edge trends by offering an extensive beer collection, which was the largest to come to Louisiana.
“All students want the same thing,” Felton said. “Good food, good price, safe atmosphere.”
The 1990s saw another entertainment genre. The University hosted performers such as Elton John and Ray Cooper. The Varsity Theatre hosted live bands, including Better Than Ezra, Radiators and O’tour, according to 1993 advertisements from The Daily Reveille.
Today, Chimes and The Varsity both are owned and operated by the same people. The current owners removed restrictions by splitting them into separate entertainment and dining areas when they bought the venues.
Graves said the separation allows Chimes to have better food and The Varsity to have music on a grander scale. The owners changed some of the buildings’ cosmetic appearances to fit the new specialties.
Chimes Restaurant is a “prime example of the eclectic style and architecture found in Tiger Town,” said Thomas Parker in his landscape architecture final project, titled “The Chimes Street Plaza: A Shopping and Entertainment District,” published in 2000.
He said University students have gone to Tiger Town to eat, shop and be entertained for many years.
Graves said college students’ trends have changed a lot during the 12 years he has managed the Theatre. Eight years ago students were willing to take chances and wanted to hear anything new or original.
Then college students’ preferences shifted toward raves and dancing. He noticed during the last two years students have come back to their interest in live music, but they are not as willing to accept new music as before.
“Live music will always be there, but support of live music tends to come in waves,” Graves said.
Beeradvocate.com posts reviews from restaurant customers. One review said Chimes has “an exceptional selection of beers” and “Every time I go back to Baton Rouge, I look forward to spending a night out at the Chimes.”
Batonrouge.com lists Chimes as “one of Baton Rouge’s most unique restaurants” and a University landmark. The site also said “students love to dance the night away at The Varsity.”