MARIEMONT, Ohio — Two months after the historic Mariemont Theatre closed its doors, the local nonprofit Cindependent is taking the next steps to bring movies back to the big screen.
The theater is aiming for a mid-summer comeback with fresh support from Mariemont, Fairfax and Columbia Township. Phase one of the reopening is moving ahead after many theater seats were re-installed and a deposit was placed on new projection and audio equipment.
"So we have successfully placed a deposit down on all of the projection and audio equipment that's needed to start the timeline towards reopening, because the equipment was gone, totally gone," Allyson West, founder of Cindependent, said. "Everything that we need to play movies in the Mariemont Theatre was taken out of the theater."
Watch below to get a look at the progress made inside:
The theater has been closed since February, when a WCPO crew spotted workers carrying popcorn makers, projectors and movie posters to a nearby moving truck.
West said when she and her team got the keys to the building, they found rows of empty floor space where theater chairs once sat. The original marquee letters were also found in a box tucked away in the theater.
But once Cindependent gets the theater back in working order, West said it will remain the familiar community staple it's been for years.
"Community is really driving our decisions around programming," West said. "We will remain an art house cinema. That means that people can continue to see high quality films that they probably wouldn't see other places. And every once in a while we're considering throwing in something a little bit more contemporary."
The nonprofit announced its plans to take over operations at the Mariemont Theatre back in January. Built in 1938, the 88-year-old theater previously operated independently under the Theatre Management Corporation, which also operates the Esquire and Kenwood theaters.
Cindependent shared a snapshot of its fundraising progress, which includes $551,500 pledged from 18 leadership donors, $39,440 from 151 memberships, and $8,602.13 in grassroots donations from 56 donors.
The next payment of $179,042.94 for the projection equipment is due May 28, with the final 10% due when installation is complete.
For more information on how to support the theater, visit mariemonttheater.org.
