| City
theater has long been Lewiston's 'heart'
By Beth Huffaker
December 8, 2004 | LEWISTON -- Where
else can you go to the movies for only $2, where you
know all eight theater employees' names, and can enjoy
50-cent dill pickles from the concession stand and then
after the movie use the theater phone to call your mom
to get picked up?
There is a warm and friendly charm about the Lewiston
Community Theater, which is one of the last city-owned
theaters in the nation. Not only unique in its low fares
and cheap food, is its location. The theater is in the
same building as the Library and the City Hall. "Upstairs
is my preschool," said Jane Anderson, the assistant
manager.
Back in 1930 on Christmas night, the local Opera House
in Lewiston burned to the ground before the nearest
fire truck in Logan could even reach the town. The loss
of the Opera House left a theatrical void in Lewiston.
Determined to build a new theater, Lewiston got funding
for the movie house through the Public Works Administration
that President Franklin D. Roosevelt set up during the
Great Depression to help communities build new public
buildings.
After a year of building, the theater opened on Friday
night Aug. 2, 1935. Virginia Van Orden was there for
the opening night movie, The Gay Divorcee.
"I really liked the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers
movies," said Van Orden. "We went to the movies real
often, almost every time there was a change. I watched
Wuthering Heights there and Jane Eyre, better than the
movies they have now."
Back then the movies played every night at seven and
nine o'clock and a matinee on Sundays, 10 cents for
children and 25 cents for adults. Today movies play
at seven and nine but only on Monday, Friday and Saturday
nights and it does cost a little more, $2 for one person
or $10 per family.
Van Orden said she remembers riding her bike around
town handing out the handbill with all the showing times
in return for a free pass to the movies. "I saw all
the movies. My parents had a drugstore down the street
from the theater and they would work all night so I
would go."
While the single room theater hasn't changed at all
since 1935, there have been improvements made to modernize
sound and projection equipment.
"We love it. It's cheaper then all the others. It's
the best. It's closer and you know everyone here," said
Jenesy Hammer, who frequents the theater with her friends.
The first time Jenesy came to the theater she was 4
years old and came with her whole family. Now 12, she
gets dropped off with her friends where she enjoys her
favorite films, the Harry Potter movies.
Rosie Williams is the manager of the 380 seat movie
house and selects all the films. "I have a lady in Mesquite
that books the films after I choice them," Williams
said. "If it is really good then we keep if for two
weeks like the Princess Diaries 2, if not just one week."
Williams said that because the titles aren't fresh
she is limited in her selection. Still the theater has
to pay 35 percent of its profits for the films.
"We don't show R-rated films. We never have, it's
been a policy forever," Williams said.
Family films usually sell the best anyway said Williams.
On Monday nights, which is family night for many Lewiston
residents, is usually the best ticket selling night.
"If it's a good show family night is usually packed."
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