The aroma of popcorn and moving pictures flashing across the big screen confirmed the updated Wilmette Theatre is back in business.
Friends, neighbors and board members of the nonprofit organization gathered Nov. 5 for a ribbon-cutting ceremony and Champagne toast in celebration of the theater’s grand reopening.
Mike Murdock, Wilmette Theatre board president, says Wilmette is undergoing a dynamic transformation, with many new downtown restaurants creating buzz.
“The theater will add the essential element of entertainment to Central Avenue offerings with live music, comedy performances, movies and more,” Murdock said.
With the onset of the pandemic, the theater’s audience stopped gathering early on, leading to closure in March 2020.
During spring 2021, the theater opened briefly for a limited number of private events before closing for the summer and early fall for renovations, according to Murdock.
Wilmette Theatre Nov. 5, 2021.
Renovations also included the lobby, bathrooms and the redesign of one of the two 125-capacity seat theaters into a “lounge” theatre design, Murdock said.
Holding onto the theater during the pandmic has been a challenge.
“We were days away from losing it, and while many area towns have lost their community theaters, it would have been a tremendous loss to lose ours,” Murdock said.
The theater received a grant of more than $250,000 from the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program, according to U.S. Small Business Administration data.
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Amy Falkowski, the Wilmette Theatre’s program director, said the lineup for the opening weekend was a tribute to the Wilmette community with a nod to local inspiration.
The weekend’s lineup featured a John Hughes movie marathon and a Saturday evening performance by local band Antler Chandelier.
Falkowski says the theater will be open Thursday through Sundays and will show movies starting in the afternoon and will feature live performances in the evening. Upcoming performances include Hot LZ on Nov. 13 and Chris Karabas Band on Nov. 24.
Beer, wine and concessions will be available for purchase during all live performances.
“As a not-for-profit multi-arts and performance center, we will show new movies like ‘Dear Evan Hanson’ and ‘Space Jam’ starting on Nov. 11, but we will not look to showcase new release movies on a regular basis,” Falkowski said.
During the holidays, for example, Falkowski said area residents can count on seeing a mix of vintage favorites like “White Christmas,” “Miracle on 34th Street” and “Elf.”
Claire Hoppenworth of Wilmette attended the ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday.
“Not only is it meaningful to keep a piece of our Wilmette history alive — but the theater will add vitality and enrichment to the Wilmette arts scene and that’s exciting,” Hoppenworth said.
For an updated list of shows and show times www.wilmettetheatre.com/.