Reviving a Small Town Movie House

I he smell of popcorn, the movies: It's "show time!" The movies are back again in Geneseo, thanks to a partnership among the Geneseo Community Park District, the Geneseo Foundation and the Central Trust and Savings Bank. And there never was the flicker of a thought about changing the name of the "Central Theatre" on North State Street in Geneseo.

What's a town without a theater? In 1995, this question seriously was considered by this rural, farming community of 10,000, located approximately 20 miles east of the Quad Cities area.

John and Dorothy Greenwood, owners for 20 years of Geneseo's Central Theatre, a 178-seat landmark, were just plain tuckered out. As they both approached their 75th birthdays, Johns health started failing and he couldn't run the theater on a consistent basis.

The movie house had been in operation since the 1940s, even predating the first "talkies." Patrons remember the years when John Greenwood's dog slept in a rear row seat and how John opened every performance with slide shows of local community events and his trips around the world.

No one in particular wanted to take over the theater in this age of big theater conglomerates and the ease of living room video rentals. If no one wanted to run a movie house, the Geneseo Community Park District decided it would.

"We're kind of the people everybody turns to to take over something that benefits the community," says Robert Orsi, director of the Geneseo Community Park District.

The theater is adjacent to the Central Trust and Savings Bank, which also owns the theater building. When Greenwood could not find a private buyer, a board member from the bank approached the park district about managing the theater.

Selling tickets for $4.50 and popcorn for $1.25, the movie house opened with "Return of the Jedi" under park district management on November 1, 1996. After a 90-day trial period, the district agreed to manage the theater and suggested a renovation to improve patron satisfaction and overall revenues.

"We had our doubts about it, because Mr. Greenwood always told everyone that it didn't make much money," says Orsi, who didn't see many movies before this unique joint venture. Now he considers himself a critic and works with the movie industry to order and schedule shows and promotions.

"What we found out was that people were very excited about us taking it over, and it just needed some renovations to make it what it could be."

For the proposed $115,000 renovation, the bank donated $15,000, the district paid for $60,000, and the remaining $55,000 was donated by the Geneseo Foundation. The foundation is managed by the Central Trust and Savings Bank. It was started by an individual who left his estate for the formation of the "Geneseo Foundation" to support various community betterment projects.

The park district pays $1 per month for lease of the theater. The bank pays for taxes and repairs.

The $115,000 upgrade was completed in six weeks with a reopening ceremony on May 30, 1997. Features include modern seats,

8 / Illinois Porks and Recreation

REVIVING A SMALL TOWN MOVIE HOUSE

Top: An electrician installs the wiring for the new Sony Dynamic Digital Sound System.

Below: Geneseo Park District stages a ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 30, 1997, for the renovated theater, involving the park district board and staff, city officials and representatives from the Central Trust and Savings Bank of Geneseo.

Photographs by Tom Terry of the Geneseo Republic.

a lobby with an attractive facelift, new projection equipment and a top-of-the-line Sony Dynamic Digital Surround Sound System, as well as a Sharp projection television and larger stage area.

The renovation makes the small theater one of the best of its kind in the area, says Shawn McGee, a park district employee who co-manages the theater on a part-time basis with his wife, Taunya.

"The theater has continued to retain its small-town atmosphere while providing a quality product to its customers," says McGee.

"The renovations has also allowed us to expand the usage of the theater. The projection television allows the park district to highlight their programs, facilities, and activities on the big screen before each movie."

Indeed the theater offers an ideal forum for park district promotions. One-half hour before each show, park district "trailers" feature upcoming events, community-wide activities and festivals. Local businesses can buy 30-second ads during these trailers.

The park district also uses the facility on off-movie hours and days, featuring special events such as a magic act. Business and private rentals are also available. Recently the Lions Leo Club showed a movie about youth for its young members.

A park district owning and running a movie house is unprecedented and the good folks in Geneseo, smugly, are proud.

ROBERT A. ORSI
is the director of the Geneseo Community Park District.

November/December 1997 / 9