WAYNESBORO—After COVID-19 wreaked havoc on lives and economic development last holiday season, operators of the Waynesboro Theatre want to make sure that this year’s lineup of holiday movies would offer plenty of classics to attract theater patrons of all ages.
“We are excited about the line-up and we think the community will enjoy seeing these movies on the big screen,” said Bill Kohler, president of the nonprofit Waynesboro Community Theatre Project, which owns and operates the theater at 75 W. Main St.
The holiday movies kick off with “The Grinch” at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 14—a movie offered in conjunction with Saint Andrew Catholic School. Parents can learn more about the school, while kids can see a fun movie, and everyone gets a discount on ticket prices if they bring a food item for Waynesboro Community and Human Services.
“This is a prime example of how we are keeping this a community theater,” Kohler said. “We want to get people into the theater, but we also want to involve other groups and organizations.”
Kohler said there are no immediate plans to begin showing new movies at the theater, which was totally renovated in 2015 with state-of-the-art equipment from top to bottom.
With first-run movies, a single-screen theater is obligated to play that film for two to three weeks when the theater is open.
That makes having special showings and fundraisers extremely difficult.
“We are working on our options with studios for certain films,” Kohler said.
After “The Grinch,” the classics keep coming with “Home Alone” at 4 p.m. on Nov. 20; “I
Can Only Imagine” at 4 p.m. on Nov. 21 as part of the Faith and Popcorn Series; “Paw Patrol: The Movie” at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Black Friday (Nov. 26); and “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” at 2 and 7 on Small Business Saturday (Nov. 27).
More follow throughout December, including “Christmas Vacation,” “Gremlins, “The Nativity Story,” “Die Hard,” “Elf ” and “Polar Express” on Christmas Eve.
The perennial classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life” will be shown on Wednesday, Dec. 8 at 2 and 6 p.m.
Mainstreet Waynesboro, Christine’s Cafe and the theater are also partnering with the Waynesboro Area Senior High School Cheerleaders for Dinner and a Movie on Saturday, Dec. 4. Participants get a pasta dinner at Christine’s and “A Christmas
Story” at the theater while raising money for the local cheerleaders. Tickets are available from cheerleaders and parent advisers.
The 2021 Holiday Movie Series is made possible through a grant from the Alexander Stewart, M.D. Foundation.
For a full list of movies and prices, go to mainstreetwaynesboro.org or follow the Waynesboro Theatre or Waynesboro Community Theatre Project on Facebook.
