The Marion Theatre: Ocala's Historic Downtown Movie Theater
A 1941 movie theater on South Magnolia Avenue, run by the Reilly Arts Center, with $5 classic films, comedy nights and special screenings
The Marion Theatre is a historic 1941 movie theater at 50 S Magnolia Avenue in downtown Ocala, Florida. Owned by the City of Ocala and run by the Reilly Arts Center since September 2020, it shows classic and special film screenings (most $5 in October 2026) and hosts stand-up comedy and live events in a 300-seat theater downstairs and an 80-seat theater upstairs. Box office: (352) 351-1606.
What is the Marion Theatre in Ocala?
The Marion Theatre is a historic movie theater at 50 S Magnolia Avenue in downtown Ocala, Florida. It opened in 1941, is owned by the City of Ocala and has been run by the Reilly Arts Center since September 2020. It shows classic films ($5 in October 2026) and hosts stand-up comedy, live events and Ocala Symphony Orchestra talks.
What's Showing at the Marion Theatre
The Reilly Arts Center publishes the Marion Theatre schedule in three sections on its website: Films, Comedy and Concerts & Special Events. Tickets are sold on the same event pages and at the box office; the Reilly warns that it cannot verify tickets bought from third-party resellers. Only in Ocala lists each Marion Theatre screening and show on its Ocala events calendar.
The lineup for October and November 2026, as listed by the Reilly Arts Center on October 11, 2026:
Through November 1, 2026 (Hocus Pocus and The Exorcist through October 29)
October classic films; several showtimes each. Hocus Pocus, Beetlejuice and Coco are rated PG; The Exorcist (Classics and Cocktails) is rated R.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show Shadowcast
$23 to $38October 16, 17, 30 and 31, 2026
Lo-Fi Theatre Company performs live in front of the film; ticket includes a prop bag. Ages 18 and up only.
Sunday, October 18, 2026, 3:00 PM
Film historian Dana Buckler and Ocala Symphony music director Matthew Wardell on Hitchcock and the Bernard Herrmann score, followed by the film.
Coffee with the Conductor
Free (RSVP)Wednesdays at 10:00 AM: October 21, 2026; January 20, February 24 and April 14, 2027
Ocala Symphony Orchestra talks before each concert program; admission and coffee are free.
Friday, November 6, 2026, 7:30 PM
Monthly stand-up showcase; the November bill is William Sloan, C.P. Post and host Alena Valle. Ages 18 and up (16 to 17 with a parent or guardian).
Sunday, November 8, 2026, 2:00 PM
College of Central Florida film series screening; the college lists its Marion Theatre screenings as free and open to the public.
Jam Corps Showcase
RSVPTuesday, November 10, 2026, 6:00 PM
Arts in Health Ocala Metro and the Marion Theatre present the inaugural showcase celebrating music, creativity and connection among local veterans. Reservations are taken through the Reilly Arts Center.
Touring comedians
Priced per showNatalie Cuomo, November 20, 2026; Eric D'Alessandro, February 12, 2027; Steve Hofstetter, February 27, 2027; Shelly Belly, April 17 and 18, 2027
The Reilly Arts Center books its touring stand-up acts at the Marion; the shows are for ages 18 and up, and most start at 7:30 PM.
Showtimes and prices change monthly. Confirm each show on the Reilly Arts Center's Marion Theatre page before heading downtown.
Tickets, Prices and Box Office Hours
Classic film screenings at the Marion Theatre were $5 a ticket in October 2026. Special events are priced on their own: the Psycho film-history talk and screening was $10, the monthly Sit Down for Stand Up comedy night $15, the Rocky Horror shadowcast $23 to $38, and the Ocala Symphony's Coffee with the Conductor mornings are free with an RSVP. Touring comedians are priced per show.
Tickets are sold online through the Reilly Arts Center and in person at the Marion Theatre box office, which opens one hour before showtimes, Thursday to Sunday. The box office phone is (352) 351-1606, the same line as the Reilly Arts Center, whose own box office at 500 NE 9th Street is open Tuesday to Friday, 9 AM to 1 PM. The theater has a concession stand. Some comedy shows and the Rocky Horror shadowcast are for ages 18 and up; the film pages list each movie's MPAA rating.
Guests who need accessibility assistance are asked to contact the Reilly Arts Center at (352) 351-1606 or info@reillyartscenter.com before the show.
What Is the History of The Marion Theatre?
The Marion Theatre is one of downtown Ocala's best-known landmarks, with its vertical MARION sign and marquee on South Magnolia Avenue. It opened on September 11, 1941, according to Cinema Treasures, as a Streamline Moderne movie house designed by architect Roy A. Benjamin for the E.J. Sparks chain, with roughly 900 seats on a single screen.
The theater closed as a cinema in the mid-1970s and sat empty for more than a decade. The City of Ocala received the building as a donation in 1986 and still owns it, the Ocala Gazette has reported. After a restoration, the Marion reopened in August 2007, and Carmike Cinemas managed it from 2010 until October 2012, according to Cinema Treasures. Independent operators Cesar and Carmen Soto followed in 2012 and asked the city to end their lease early in June 2020 during the pandemic.
Since September 2020 the Reilly Arts Center team, which also runs the Reilly Arts Center and the Ocala Symphony Orchestra, has operated the Marion under a lease with the city. In July 2021 the Ocala City Council approved a five-year extension with a five-year renewal option, at $1 a month in rent with the city covering utilities, and the Reilly reported installing a new upstairs projector and upgraded lighting and sound. Today the Marion has a 300-seat theater downstairs and an 80-seat theater upstairs.
Programming now leans on classic and seasonal films, a monthly stand-up night, touring comedians, Ocala Symphony talks and community screenings such as the College of Central Florida's Ira Holmes International Film Series. To compare it with Ocala's multiplexes and drive-in, see our guide to movie theaters in Ocala.
Historic Venue
Opened in 1941. Owned by the City of Ocala and run by the Reilly Arts Center since September 2020.
Films and Comedy
$5 classic film screenings, a monthly stand-up comedy night, touring comedians and special events.
Intimate Setting
A 300-seat theater downstairs and an 80-seat theater upstairs.
Symphony Connection
Home to the Ocala Symphony Orchestra's free Coffee with the Conductor talks before each concert program.
Location & Visitor Information
Address
50 S Magnolia Avenue
Ocala, FL 34471
On South Magnolia Avenue, directly across the street from the downtown square. The Reilly Arts Center, which runs the theater, is a separate venue at 500 NE 9th Street.
Tickets & Box Office
Sold online at reillyartscenter.com/themarion and at the box office, (352) 351-1606, which opens one hour before showtimes, Thursday to Sunday. Film screenings were $5 in October 2026.
Parking at the Marion Theatre
The Reilly Arts Center lists four options: designated Marion Theatre spaces in the lot on the side of the theater, the Barrett Liner lot off 104 SE 1st Avenue, the downtown parking garage at 504 SE Broadway Street across from Ocala City Hall and Citizens' Circle, and parallel street parking around the theater and the square.
Downtown street meters are enforced Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 6 PM, so evening and weekend showtimes are not metered. The downtown garage is free, according to the City of Ocala, and the city's new Parking Garage No. 2, between W Broadway and W Fort King streets and entered from SW 2nd or SW 3rd Avenue, and several free city lots are within a few blocks. For a map of every garage and lot, see our downtown Ocala parking guide.
Dinner and a Movie: Restaurants Near the Marion Theatre
The Marion sits in the middle of downtown Ocala's restaurant row. The Tipsy Skipper, a 1950s tiki lounge, is next door at 48 S Magnolia Avenue, and Ivy on the Square (53 S Magnolia), 18 South Restaurant (18 S Magnolia) and Brick City Southern Kitchen (10 S Magnolia) are all on the same block. Harry's Seafood Bar & Grille (24 SE 1st Ave), Big Hammock Brewery & Bites (103 SE 1st Ave) and District Bar & Kitchen (110 SW Broadway St) are a short walk away, and the Reilly's own visitor page lists Ivy, Brick City, Harry's, Big Hammock and the District among its downtown dining picks.
Browse every option in our downtown Ocala dining guide, or pair a $5 classic film with one of our Ocala date night ideas.
The Marion Theatre vs. Ocala's Other Movie Theaters
Ocala has four movie theaters, and the Marion is the only one downtown and the only one that focuses on classic films and live comedy rather than new releases. For first-run movies, Regal Hollywood - Ocala (2801 SW 27th Avenue, with IMAX and ScreenX) and Epic Theatres of Ocala (4414 SW College Road, with recliners and Epic XL) are in southwest Ocala, and the Ocala Drive-In (4850 S Pine Avenue) shows double features nightly. See all four side by side in our guide to movie theaters in Ocala.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is The Marion Theatre located?
The Marion Theatre is located at 50 S Magnolia Avenue in downtown Ocala, Florida 34471, near the downtown square. The box office phone number is (352) 351-1606.
How do I find the show schedule for The Marion Theatre?
The Reilly Arts Center, which runs the theater, lists Marion Theatre films and events at reillyartscenter.com/themarion, where tickets are sold online. The box office opens one hour before showtimes, Thursday to Sunday, and its phone number is (352) 351-1606. Only in Ocala also lists upcoming Marion Theatre screenings and shows on its events calendar.
How much do tickets cost at The Marion Theatre?
Classic film screenings at The Marion Theatre were listed at $5 in October 2026 (Hocus Pocus, Beetlejuice, Coco and The Exorcist). Special events are priced separately: Psycho: Scene & Score was $10, the monthly Sit Down for Stand Up comedy night was $15, the Rocky Horror Picture Show Shadowcast was $23 to $38, and Coffee with the Conductor talks are free. Check each event on the Reilly Arts Center website.
Does The Marion Theatre show new movies?
Not as a rule. The Marion Theatre mainly screens classic, family and seasonal films, plus special events such as film-history talks and a live shadowcast. For first-run releases, Ocala has two multiplexes, Regal Hollywood - Ocala and Epic Theatres of Ocala, plus the Ocala Drive-In.
Is The Marion Theatre the same as the Reilly Arts Center?
No. The Reilly Arts Center is a separate performing arts venue at 500 NE 9th Street in Ocala, about five blocks north of the downtown square. The Reilly Arts Center team, which also runs the Ocala Symphony Orchestra, operates The Marion Theatre at 50 S Magnolia Avenue under a lease with the City of Ocala, and both venues share the same box office phone number, (352) 351-1606.
What is the history of The Marion Theatre?
The Marion Theatre opened on September 11, 1941, according to Cinema Treasures, as a Streamline Moderne cinema designed by architect Roy A. Benjamin for the E.J. Sparks chain, with about 900 seats. It closed as a movie house in the mid-1970s, was donated to the City of Ocala in 1986 and reopened after a restoration in August 2007. Carmike Cinemas ran it from 2010 to 2012 and independent operators from 2012 to 2020. Since September 2020 the Reilly Arts Center team has run the theater under a lease with the city.
Where do I park for The Marion Theatre?
The Reilly Arts Center lists designated Marion Theatre spaces in the lot beside the theater, the Barrett Liner lot off 104 SE 1st Avenue, the downtown parking garage at 504 SE Broadway Street across from City Hall, and parallel street parking around the theater. Downtown street meters are enforced Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 6 PM, so evening and weekend showtimes are not metered. The downtown garage is free, according to the City of Ocala, and the city's new Parking Garage No. 2 (entered from SW 2nd or SW 3rd Avenue) and several free city lots are within a short walk.
How many seats does The Marion Theatre have?
The Marion Theatre has two theaters: a 300-seat theater downstairs and an 80-seat theater upstairs.
Official Information and Sources
- Reilly Arts Center: Marion Theatre Films & Events
- Reilly Arts Center: Hours and Location (box office hours)
- Reilly Arts Center: Plan Your Visit (Marion Theatre parking)
- Reilly Arts Center: Our Story (seating, management)
- Ocala Gazette (July 2021): City of Ocala lease with the Reilly Arts Center
- Cinema Treasures: Marion Theatre (opening date, architect, original seating)
Details on this page were checked against the Reilly Arts Center website on October 11, 2026. Showtimes and prices change monthly, so confirm with the theater before you go.
Editorial StandardsMovies and More in Downtown Ocala
From $5 classic films to comedy nights, The Marion Theatre brings downtown Ocala to life.
Marion Theatre: el cine histórico del centro de Ocala
El Marion Theatre es un cine histórico de 1941 ubicado en 50 S Magnolia Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471, frente a la plaza del centro de Ocala. Es propiedad de la Ciudad de Ocala y lo administra el Reilly Arts Center desde septiembre de 2020. Presenta películas clásicas, que en octubre de 2026 costaban $5 por boleto, además de noches de comedia, eventos especiales y charlas gratuitas de la Orquesta Sinfónica de Ocala. Tiene una sala de 300 asientos en la planta baja y otra de 80 asientos en el piso superior. Los boletos se venden en reillyartscenter.com y en la taquilla, que abre una hora antes de cada función de jueves a domingo; el teléfono es (352) 351-1606.