What's next for the historic Newtown Theatre after COVID-19 setbacks?
2020 was set to be a prosperous year for the Newtown Theatre. The staff had worked to pivot the theater from a place that screened movies to a venue that offered comedy shows and live concerts. After having success with new forms of entertainment the year before, everyone expected even more growth. Instead, just a few months into the new year, a global pandemic forced Newtown Theatres manager, Carol Wasielewski, to close the doors to the public. The theaters entire staff was laid off and all plans for 2020 were put on hold. As I was locking everything down from top to bottom, it was a sad experience because I knew it would be for a while. We were having guests emailing us asking, What's going to happen? I did not know when I was going to be able to come back and I do not think anyone thought it was going to be a year, said Wasielewski, who locked the doors to the theater just one year after being named its manager. However, Newtown Theatre was able to withstand the financial difficulties brought forward by the pandemic, and just last month it reopened with a comedy show, its first live event in over a year. While CDC guidelines only allowed the theater to be open at 25% capacity, Wasielewski was thrilled to welcome guests back in. The theater is so embedded in this community that everyone was looking forward to it opening at any type of capacity. Everyone was just looking forward to the theater opening, not necessarily what the content of the entertainment was. They just wanted to finally see those doors open, said Wasielewski. Now, the theater is looking to its future, launching extensive renovation plans and an "Adopt-a-Seat" fundraiser to support it. Secret to saving money  While the pandemic caused many live entertainment venues and movie theaters to permanently close, the Newtown Theatre staff credits their ability to reopen to finding ways to limit spending. We are strangely fortunate. There's no mortgage on this building. Theres no rent, but we did turn the heat down all the way and we did everything we could to save money. I know that there are other facilities that are in much different situations, said Andy Smith, who works for Cabin Communications, the company that manages the theater. The low costs to run the theater while it was closed are thanks to its long history that dates back to 1831. The Newtown Theatre has strong community roots, as it was originally built as a free meeting house for the public. By the 1850s, it was regularly used by performers and notable speakers such as American abolitionist Fredrick Douglass. Later, the building was reconstructed and by 1906 it showed its first movie, making it the oldest continuously operating movie theater in the country. Much of the theater contains historic construction pieces such as a floor from the 1880s and seats from 1935. Today, the theater sits in Newtown Borough and has expanded to showing comedy shows, concerts, plays and musicals, while also being available to rent on a private basis. While the Newtown Theatre does not have a signature movie theater marquee, its historic interior complete with 300 seats gives guests a unique experience. Most people think of us as a movie theater, but we're definitely moving in the direction of an all-around performance center. We plan to add many, many more concerts in 2022, said Smith. The theater is also hoping to make internal renovations with money from donations to help it stay modernized. According to Smith, phase one of the renovation costs nearly $600,000. The show must go on:Bristol Riverside Theatre reopens after pandemic with outdoor concert series  The plans call for a new hardwood floor, vintage-style seats on the first floor, a new coat of paint on the inside of the building, the addition of a wheelchair lift in front of the theater, a fully accessible first-floor toilet room and the addition of a sprinkler system in the auditorium. The theater has not been renovated or touched in over 50 years. There are few things more historic in Bucks County than this theater. It's worth saving, not just because it's historic, but because its the center of entertainment in Newtown, said Smith. Staff and board members noted that outside obstacles have always been a part of the Newtown Theatres history, pointing out that it has survived both world wars, the Spanish flu, the Great Depression and the invention of the television. The theater is part of the community and people really try to support. It's survived through the years and I think it will survive for another 150 years, I really do, said Dave Callahan, a Newtown Theatre board member. This summer, the Newtown Theatre plans to offer a limited slate of events including concerts, more comedy shows and screenings of cult classic movies as they prepare for renovations. While 2020 did not go as planned for the Newtown Theatre, the staff was not deterred and they are looking ahead to a successful future. I don't know how long it'll take to rebuild," said Smith. "I don't think anyone knows. I think as long as we keep adapting and putting on things that people want to see, we will be here to stay. People still want to come together. They want to have a communal experience and that's what we offer."