Town Theatre

hoosiergal. I tried contacting you on that email a few times and never heard anything back. you can try me at

I’m a 30 year old film school graduate and a lover of classic, foreign, and independent cinema. My inspiration for going to film school was Alfred Hitchcock and other films as far back as the silent era. I prefer classic black and white films more than most of the modern stuff that gets churned out these days. There are a few diamonds in the rough but in my opinion most new films are classless trash. I have been described as an old soul, and my dreams of running a movie theater like the Town are genuine and I would never turn it into a X-rated theater. I even considered adding filmmaking lessons using the theater as a classroom for kids and adults during the day then running the theater as it has been at night. I have been working in Management for the past 10 years up until being laid off this last January. With this economy my options are limited and I’m only qualified in 2 fields. Film and Management. Owning/Running a theater like the Town would be a dream come true finally getting to do something I am passionate about.

I think the Janowski’s would be surprised by how much help we would give if they would just ask. I hope they reopen.

I don’t feel that is so ridiculous. They probably feel that nobody could care about their baby, the Theatre. like they do. They are probably afraid that it will turn into another R or X rated Theatre. The owners are Ted and Vern Janowski and I was introduced to them twenty five years ago by an area physician. I understand that their son is seeking to reopen it and may be overwhelmed by the work involved. I wish he would contact me at with questions. I live locally, love that Theatre as much as he or his parents do and am an experienced businessman.

Thank you.

I spoke with the owners son last year hoping they would let me run the place for them or consider selling it to me. They said they would rather see it torn down then run/owned by anyone else. It is sad. I really love the theater and would like to keep it going the same way they have been running it.

I was just there on Friday, 08/21/09, and there were several handmade signs stating that the theater is closed due to illness but will reopen. No dates are posted, but it seems to me that things may have been this way for a while, and I’m wondering if there’s more to the story. When I walked around back, I saw that there were very tall weeds outside both of the rear emergency exits, indicating disuse. I’m ASSuming the fire department wouldn’t allow those exits to be so overgrown. I am saddened if this is the end of the Town. It’s an odd little theater w/ a charming way of doing business.

Here is a 2008 photo.

This is an updated link for the photo posted on Mar 20, 2006 which is actually a photo from 1985.

Another recent photo can be seen here.

Here is a 2006 photo of the Town Theater.

It’s great to know that the Town is still operating much as it did in the ‘70s, when I regularly went there for foreign and art films otherwise unavailable in the area.

The Town is located in downtown Highland and is still a very popular venue. Back in the 60’s and 70’s it was the only theater in Northwest Indiana to show art and foreign films. In the late 70’s through the mid 90’s the Town became more of a second run house. Now, happily, the Town shows mostly art and independent films. I recently attended a showing of “The Station Agent” and the theater has lost some of its charm but is still a great place to see a movie. The seats are in dire need of being replaced and there is very little leg room. The intermission with cake and coffee is an ongoing tradition no matter what the film’s running time is. They offer a few types of cake, pastries, and cookies – all fresh and delicious. They also have an admission price lower then the multiplexes with very reasonable concession stand prices as well. Best of all there are no commercials before the movie. The lights go down and the movie starts up immediately. There should be more theaters like the Town.