Row House Theater

Written By Scott Simmons

The world’s newest atmospheric movie theatre has opened in Pittsburgh! Row House Cinemas owner Brian Mendelssohn has partnered with scores of designers, artists, carpenters, and experts to fully restore and renovate the historic Hollywood movie theater in Dormont.

When Row House Cinemas undertook the restoration and reopening of the historic Hollywood Theater in Dormont, the goal wasn’t simply renovation. The vision was to create a destination experience that blended cinema, architecture, and immersive atmosphere into something audiences would remember.

Needs More Fog partnered with a talented team of Pittsburgh-based scenic artists, designers, and fabricators to help support the theater’s transformation through Metropolis-inspired environmental design elements integrated throughout the restored venue.

Inspired by the iconic visual language of Metropolis, our work focused on helping reinforce the theater’s atmospheric identity — contributing scenic elements designed to enhance guest immersion, strengthen visual storytelling, and create an entertainment environment that felt cinematic before audiences even entered the auditorium.

Traditional atmospheric movie theaters, which were most popular in the 1920’s, evoked the feelings of outdoor settings in exotic courtyards or lavish gardens. This installation is considerably more industrial, paying homage not only to an iconic black and white silent film but also to the generations of workers who gave birth to The Steel City of Pittsburgh.

Needs More Fog took the lead on designing, producing, and installing the core thematic elements inspired by the 1927 movie Metropolis. For phase one of this ambitious project, our team transformed the 400 seat auditorium into a multi-level and monochromatic representation of the themes of the film.

The ground level of the theater now emulates “the underground city” setting of Metropolis, surrounding guests with industrial machinery and concrete. Eyes cast upward to reveal a truss that serves as the boundary between worlds, with a glorious skyline of fantastical high rise buildings rising into a star-filled blue sky above.

Row House Cinemas - Hollywood is now open to the public but the project is far from over! In the coming months guests will soon enjoy a second auditorium, 35mm screenings, a full bar, additional scenic & lighting enhancements, and an ever-expanding skyline that will eventually fill the entire main theater.

Thanks to Brian and Irwin Mendelssohn, Kelsey Shea Zehmisch and everyone at Row House Cinemas for partnering with Needs More Fog on this ongoing and incredible project. It’s a true honor to pay tribute to Pittsburgh’s movie palace.

Row House Cinemas Hollywood in Dormont now features an atmospheric enviornment inspired by Metropolis

Photo by Mike Hume for Historic Theatre Photography‍

Services Provided

  • Environmental Scenic Design

  • Experiential Storytelling

  • Themed Atmosphere Development

  • Historic Venue Creative Support

  • Scenic Fabrication Collaboration

  • Guest Experience Enhancement

Scott Simmons - Creative Director

Wayne Simmons - Project Manager

Kim Gromoll - Concept Artist

Kate Bechak - Additional Concept Art, 3-D Rendering

Produced in association with Kellan Andersen Designs, Upward Consulting, Steel City Scenic and Pittsburgh Public Theater. Special thanks to Kelly Braden.

The Underground City

Kellan Andersen - Production Designer 

Jon Ward - Art Director 

Niko Gomez - Lead Carpenter 

Braxton McCollum - Carpenter 

Mike Kahlil - Lead Scenic Painter 

Matrisse Albertz - Scenic Painter

Scott Conklin - Truss fabrication and installation

Dylan Baker - Truss installation assistance

Heather Heitzenrater - Truss scenic painter

City Skyline

Drew Palajsa - Lead Carpenter and Installer

Lisa Harshbarger - Scenic Painter

Pittsburgh Public Theater Staff — Installation

Behind the Scenes video produced by Carson Spence for Row House Cinemas.

Needs More Fog helps attractions, museums, hospitality brands, entertainment venues, and experience-driven organizations create memorable audience engagement through experiential design, cinematic content, immersive storytelling, and creative strategy.

CONTACT US

Projects like Row House Hollywood Theater reflect an idea we believe deeply at Needs More Fog: memorable experiences begin long before the audience reaches the main event. Whether supporting a historic theater restoration, immersive attraction, museum installation, hospitality concept, or themed entertainment venue, our goal is always the same — helping spaces feel more engaging, emotionally resonant, and worth remembering. Through experiential design, cinematic storytelling, scenic atmosphere, and audience-focused creative strategy, we help experience-driven brands transform physical environments into destinations people want to revisit, photograph and talk about long afterward.

Scott Simmons

Since 1999, Scott Simmons has helped create nationally recognized haunted attractions, escape rooms, theatrical experiences, themed environments, and immersive entertainment projects designed to surprise, engage, and leave a lasting impression.

Best known for his work as Creative and Marketing Director for ScareHouse — one of America’s most acclaimed haunted attractions — and the groundbreaking immersive experience The Basement, Scott now leads Needs More Fog, a creative studio specializing in cinematic video production, immersive storytelling, experiential design, social media strategy, and SEO optimization for experience-driven brands.

Over the past two decades, Scott and his collaborators have developed immersive attractions, escape rooms, and live experiences featured on Good Morning America, Late Night with Seth Meyers, Travel Channel, and The Daily Show, while earning praise from acclaimed filmmakers including Guillermo del Toro, Michael Dougherty, and Elijah Wood. His team also collaborated with Universal Pictures, Legendary Entertainment, and Weta Workshop to create the world’s first immersive experience inspired by Krampus.

Beyond haunted attractions, Scott has overseen the concept, design, production, and marketing of escape rooms, special events, theatrical productions, and themed environments — including the creative reimagining of The Old Mill at Kennywood.

Today, through Needs More Fog, Scott helps attractions, museums, entertainment brands, hospitality companies, and immersive experiences strengthen audience engagement through video production, content strategy, SEO, social media management, and experiential storytelling.

His creative content — including trailers, behind-the-scenes videos, and social campaigns — has generated more than eight million views, while his speaking appearances often explore immersive design, attraction marketing, digital content creation, generative AI, and occasionally, murderous bunnies with axes.

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