Renaissance Place Cinema

This opened on August 4th, 2000. I uploaded its grand opening ad in the photo section.

It’s being reopened February 10 under the name of Wayfarer Theaters Here’s the story from the Highland Park Chamber of Commerce.

“On February 10th, Wayfarer Theaters will open its inaugural flagship theater at the Renaissance Place in Highland Park. Wayfarer Theaters is a new collective space for films, live events, and conversation, designed to strengthen the bonds of friendship in our community. Wayfarer Theaters will offer a mixture of old and new films intended to uplift our spirits, including children’s movies and accompanying activities on weekends, and regularly scheduled talks and Q&As with filmmakers. Wayfarer Theaters is a sister company to Wayfarer Studios (wayfarerstudios.com), a film and TV studio founded in 2019 by Paylocity founder Steve Sarowitz and Jane the Virgin star Justin Baldoni. An actor turned filmmaker, Baldoni uses his stardom as a platform to address social issues through impactful content creation and direct action—such as his ‘Man Enough’ TED talk, web series, book and podcast, and the nonprofit he founded to address homelessness in Los Angeles. As Baldoni describes it, Wayfarer Studios creates media that “amplifies the human spirit and serves as a catalyst for positive social change.” Sarowitz sees the venture in a similar light: “When Justin and I founded Wayfarer Studios, our focus was to build a change agent that brings to life meaningful stories that will inspire and lift humanity to a higher level.” Sarowitz, an entrepreneur and philanthropist from Highland Park, dedicates his time and resources toward eradicating the world’s negative ‘isms’—through nonprofit work and now impactful content creation alongside Baldoni. In 2021, Sarowitz and Baldoni also launched the Wayfarer Foundation (wayfarerfoundation.org), a Baha’i-inspired organization that funds and supports spiritually-rooted and justice-oriented nonprofits, centering on the power of universal participation to create a more hopeful, joyful, and just world. Among the films shown at Wayfarer Theaters will be media produced by Wayfarer Studios, such as two productions Baldoni directed: Five Feet Apart and Clouds, which was named one of Disney+’s best films. The new theater’s General Manager, Clayton Stamper, welcomes this partnership: “Wayfarer Theaters wants to stand on the shoulders of its sister companies (Wayfarer Studios and Wayfarer Foundation) and continue to be a funnel for those causes, a catalyst for those matters of the heart—those aspects of humanity that we all share.” Wayfarer Theaters will also engage with community members to curate films that connect with local audiences. “Especially in the initial months,” Stamper says, “I want to invite our guests to tell us what films they want to see, and what would elevate the experience for the people of Highland Park.” In addition, he looks forward to “working hands on with local organizations and community leaders.” Wayfarer’s inaugural theater will also seek to “engage all the senses,” as Stamper put it. Along with high-definition visuals to tantalize the eyes, interactive multimedia displays and hands-on museum-style activations will delight guests of all ages. Live musical performances will grace the ear, and alongside traditional theater snacks Wayfarer will offer healthy alternatives, as part of its in-house café.”

Here is the official website and Facebook page.

https://wayfarertheaters.com/home

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089308195893