The Little Art Theatre in Yellow Springs is reopening to moviegoers today, July 24.
Executive Director Jenny Cowperthwaite says they’ve already sold some tickets for the first show in months.
“There’s people that want to get back to movies on the big screen, and that’s the big difference, as opposed to streaming and staying home, where you are sick of being,” she says.
Capacity has been cut by more than half. If someone buys just one ticket, they’ll get a whole row to themselves. Ushers will escort moviegoers to their seats, and masks will be required except when eating or drinking.
Cowperthwaite says the Little Art is taking it slow and safe. They’re only opening Friday through Monday to start, but she says a single-screen, non-profit movie theatre can’t afford to stay closed if they’re allowed to open.
“We have to open up. To close it completely would be death to the theatre,” she says.
The theatre had a soft opening just for employees and their families, so they could get used to all the new safety precautions.
And the Little Art is looking ahead too. Cowperthwaite says she’s been researching UV light air filters and organic fogging systems to more quickly clean the theatre if the pandemic continues to stretch out.
