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Theaters
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December 22, 2008
Second act for Wollaston
QUINCY, MA — A return could be coming for the Wollaston Theater.
Shuttered for the past five years, the Wollaston Theatre, a survivor from the golden age of theaters, could be returning as a community centerpiece.
According to a broker handling the property, a group of individuals and organizations involved in the arts has signed a purchase and sale agreement with the estate of Arthur Chandler. Chandler, who died in April, had owned the theater since 1979 and operated it until its closing in 2003.
Read the full story in the Boston Globe
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Orlando gets funds for theater
ORLANDO, FL — The city council is diverting funds so downtown can finally get a movie theater.
The Orlando City Council on Dec. 15 approved a deal that would provide $6 million to the owners of the long-awaited downtown movie theater.
Beverly Hills, Calif.-based RP Realty Partners LLC, which last week told Orlando Business Journal it secured a movie theater operator for its mixed-use The Plaza, will receive the funds through two special assessments levied by the city. The first is a $2.5 million retail assessment to be paid to the city over 15 years, and the second is a $3.5 million parking assessment paid over 10 years.
Read more in the Orlando Business Journal.
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December 15, 2008
In Memoriam: Steve Levin
Karen Noonan, president of the Theatre Historical Society, has sent the following sad news:
The theater world has lost a tremendous historian, researcher and friend. Former THS President and Marquee editor STEVE LEVIN passed away suddenly on Saturday (Dec 13) after a short illness. Steve was also very active in ATOS as well. This leaves a deep void in our lives, an important voice is gone.
We extend our deepest sympathies to his family and to our friends at THS during this difficult time. He will, indeed, be sorely missed.
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December 5, 2008
Heights Theater under new ownership
ELMIRA HEIGHTS, NY — On Tuesday November 24,2008 the owners of the Glen Theater in Watkins Glen New York took over ownership of the Heights Theater in Elmira, New York,
This ends former owner Craig Spencer’s 6 years of operating the single screen, 2nd run theater.
The Heights has continually screened films since 1949 except for the 2 years prior to Spencer renovating in 2002.
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December 3, 2008
Marcus Theatres installs 12th UltraScreen
ORLAND PARK, IL — Marcus Theatres has installed a new 70-foot-wide UltraScreen at the Orland Park Cinema. It was unveiled November 26th in time for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
It was installed in a 400-seat auditorium that has been renovated from the ground up.
In addition to the UltraScreen, the hall is using Crown Digital D-Chain amplifiers and JBL ScreenArray speakers.
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November 26, 2008
Pickwick Theatre celebrates 80th anniversary
PARK RIDGE, IL — The Pickwick Theatre will celebrate its 80th anniversary by playing the same silent film it played when it opened: “Lilac Time” with Gary Cooper and Colleen Moore.
The theater, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, is distinctive for its 100-foot art deco tower. It has been in continuous operation since 1928 without any modification to the original auditorium and has been owned by the same family since 1967.
Read more about the history of the theater in the Norridge-Harwood Heights News.
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John Loeks speaks as Studio 28 closes
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November 21, 2008
Fireweed 7 slashes price of movie tickets to $3
ANCHORAGE, AK — To drum up some business, the Fireweed Cinemas has lowered their admission to $3 for all shows. While this normally wouldn’t be too surprising, the fact that it’s owned by Regal stands out. Could they do this in other markets?
Regal Entertainment Group, the nation’s largest movie theater operator, recently premiered the bargain ticket sales at the Fireweed, evidently as a way to draw in more customers to the venerable movie house at the corner of Fireweed Lane and Gambell Street.
Before the change, an evening show cost $9.75 and a matinee $6.75.
Theater workers are telling patrons that films at the Fireweed won’t be first-run. Rather, they’ll be films that have been in release for a few weeks.
Read the full story in the Anchorage Daily News.
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November 18, 2008
Theater troupe hosts independent film series
FORT MYERS, FL — The amateur acting troupe Theatre Conspiracy has begun showing an independent film series at their 50-seat blackbox theater between theatrical productions.
The move comes as donations have dropped by 50% although tickets to their performances are selling well.
The troupe is negotiating directly with filmmakers' agents to obtain the films on DVD. They will be projected on a 16-foot by 8-foot screen in the makeshift movie theater.
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November 14, 2008
Blue Mouse celebrates 85 years
TACOMA, WA — The Blue Mouse Theatre is celebrating its 85th birthday this week as a single-screen, 221-seat cinema.
For the past 15 years, it has been run by a collective of 32 investors who put together $170,000 in 1993 to buy the theater, refurbish it and reopen it under its original name.
It is the oldest continuously run movie theater in Washington state and one of the oldest in the country. It got its name from a lounge in Paris that showed films.