AFTER SIX MONTHS of use, the Emporia Granada Theatre has lived up to what was promised as a grand multi-use facility for our community.
Since the theater opened, our family has attended a rock concert, a symphony, a play, a performance by the Chinese acrobats and some receptions. Our family has enjoyed more cultural experiences in downtown Emporia in the last six months then we had in the preceding several years.
If you enjoy classic movies, then you will want to be at the Granada on the first Thursday of every month, beginning tomorrow. The theater will begin a series of classic films. This week, the movie is “Casablanca” and the showing will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $4 a person.
It’s exciting to drive by the Granada and see cars filling the downtown parking lots as people attend events at the theater. Having the Granada Theatre downtown breathes life into the community and is the gem of our downtown.
It took vision and lots of hard work to make restoration of the old theater a reality. And our community is much better because of it.
Today there is another vision before the community — for the Emporia Arts Council to build a new building next to the Granada, complete with offices, galleries and performance and rehearsal space.
The current Arts Council building is cramped and dated. The organization is in desperate need of new space. The proposed 16,000-square-foot, two-story building, set next door to the Granada, would be the perfect complement to Emporia’s downtown and would raise the prominence of arts in the community.
The council members have been working hard and now they are in the final stretch of the fundraising campaign. The organization needs to raise the remaining $197,000 of its $2.8 million goal by the first of the summer.
These are financially difficult times, but the community is so close to this goal that we need to finish this campaign and keep Emporia moving forward.
Whether you can send a little or a lot, every dollar helps. Please send a donation today.
Christopher White Walker
Editor & Publisher
Donations for the arts center project may be sent to the Emporia Arts Council, P.O. Box 1227, Emporia, KS 66801, or dropped by the council office at 618 Mechanic St.
josiesbar (anonymous) says...
This week, the movie is “Casablanca” and the showing will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $4 a person.
No crack, I have to re-lace my tennis shoes, but thanks for asking! Maybe some other time sweetie!
April 1, 2009 at 3:03 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
allintogether (anonymous) says...
What a great movie to kick this off with! If I weren't going to be out of town I would be there. I hope Emporia fills it up!
April 1, 2009 at 5 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dalelinn (Dale Linn) says...
We're not too couth here at our house. Do they plan to show any old Roy Rogers films?
April 1, 2009 at 8:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...
May I suggest Weird Al Yankovic in UHF as it is a modern classic?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n1hKQ...
Or perhaps Weekend at Bernies and Weekend at Bernies 2. I'm sure these have been considered already but I thought I would put my vote in for them anyway.
April 1, 2009 at 8:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
josiesbar (anonymous) says...
seriously,
I would probably be down for Revenge of the Nerds! Maybe for the night, they could change the name from "The Granada" to "Hotel Coral Essex" ;-)
April 1, 2009 at 9:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
josiesbar (anonymous) says...
By the way, I don't think they realized they scheduled the first movie the same night as the Working Women event.
April 1, 2009 at 9:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )