Glenwood Arts Theater — Attraction in Overland Park

There's a marquee by the 95th St entrance that says "theatre parking on south side". If you don't happen to notice that, you'll drive yourself nuts trying to find the place because there's no signage for it whatsoever on the building front and it won't even occur to you to look around back. If you DO notice it, the parking garage back there is confusing and creepy. Entry is a one-way from the west side of the property onto the top deck (there’s another entry to the lower level from the south at the center, either way is an eastbound one-way). You can drive all the way through, turn left, and get parking right in front of the doors, but jeepers. Just demolish the parking garage and do a proper surface lot. It will be so much less confusing and so much more appealing.

You CAN access the theatre from the front, though it’s clear that the front of the property has limited parking for the shops, thus the reason they work so hard to push you to the rear. Look for the "Ranch Mart” sign and enter the doors below it. Go down the stairs and you're at the theatre. (Yes, it's actually UNDER the shopping center.)

Once you're in, you'll discover this is a sixties-era multiplex with long shoebox slope auditoriums with midback spring (not motorized) reclining seats that are oddly comfortable. There's no reserved seating, just walk up to the box office, buy a ticket, and sit wherever is available. You can buy advance tickets online, but I have no idea why anyone would bother. Presentation is modern digital projection and sound, and both are of solid quality. The movies are the key draw, being the limited releases the big brands in town don't play.

Between the obscure location, obscure movies, and very retro feel of the place, Glenwood Arts feels like an intimate secret that's all your own. Savor it...

I wanted to rent the Glenwood Theatre for a private showing of a movie of my choosing with friends. Brian was so helpful and communicative. The cost was very reasonable which included the theatre rental and the licensing of the movie they were able to get permission for from the distributors. The screening was a dream come true. Glenwood Theatre even put above the door's marquee the movie I chose which was an amazing touch that I didn't ask for or expect. The seats are comfortable and roomy, the screens are large, and the concessions have all your standard snacks that are great to nosh on during your time watching a movie. I love going to the Glenwood because I feel like I step back in time to a cool old neighborhood theatre that truly loves and wants to preserve the movie theatre experience. The service is great and clearly the people who work there genuinely love movies. I've always wanted to rent a movie theatre and the Glenwood made it so easy to execute. I highly recommend this theatre for its amazing arthouse, indie, and Oscar nominated films throughout the year. And now I can say that not only is renting a theatre worth every penny, but doing so at the Glenwood is even...

This is my favorite theater in the metro. I like the selection of movies - lots of choices for adults. While not a free standing, old-timey, main-street-USA type theater like the Rio, it is still old fashioned; there are no recliners or other luxuries that seem more like home than a place set apart for special contemplation. AFAIK the whole menu of concessions at GA is [good] popcorn, sodas, and candy. Oh yeah and they have Cheez-Its and hot tea for largely geriatric clientele haha. I get hot tea sometimes in the winter. IDK I'm not really getting at what I like about this theater. I just like it. It's more of a place to show movies than another oulet - among thousands - to cater to consumer demand. The big multiplexes are probably a better reflection of the contemporary culture; they are good for seeing movies that un-self-consciously reflect the moment: superhero, murder-revenge fantasy, the mythology of America's wars... For humanistic movies that aim more timeless themes Glenwood Arts is the...