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    Drexel Theatre Reopens for Memorial Day

    When your business is closed for over a year, asking for a silver lining in the closure cloud seems like a bit much. But with the Drexel Theatre set to reopen this weekend, Theatre Director Jeremy Henthorn doesn’t hesitate to find a positive.  

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    “I’ve come out of it with a new excitement,” Henthorn says. “My background is in film festivals, and this re-introduction allows me and my staff to start to program like we were programming a film festival. It’s been a really exciting time and we’re hoping to have some really fun things coming up.”  

    Starting that fun over Memorial Day weekend is something Henthorn has been plotting for some time.  

    “We started to get some calls from studios asking if we’d be open…and we’ve always kind of targeted Memorial Day, but we were pretty cautious and we wanted to take our time,” he says.

    Henthorn credits the Drexel community for allowing him that luxury.  

    “We’ve always had a really robust support system,” he says. “A lot of people when we closed were buying gift cards, were buying memberships, were donating to the theatre. We did a gala last year that I think was our most successful in history. And beyond that, the virtual screenings. It’s been mostly the community support.”  

    But now, Henthorn can feel the excitement building for a return to the big screen experience.   

    “I was surprised at the reaction, and how many people wanted to buy tickets early,” he says. Oddly, the question that we got the most was…”  

    Wait for it.   

    “When are you bringing The Room back?”  

    That cult classic won’t be part of the opening schedule, but Henthorn is more than confident about the strength of his lineup – for this weekend and beyond.   

    “The first week we are going to play A Quiet Place II, Dream Horse, and then we’ll show Nomadland and Minari,” Henthorn says. “As it goes on, we’ve already booked Holler, which is an Ohio-based film. Summer of Soul is already booked. We’re gonna bring Street Gang in, and then looking forward we’re in discussions on Zola, The Sparks Brothers. We’ve got a pretty strong lineup already through the middle of July. And It just keeps coming.”  

    Any other titles you want to mention, Jeremy? You’re tearing me apart!  

    “And at some point, The Room,” Henthorn admits.

    It’s not just the films that will be getting some new eyeballs, either. The timing of the shutdown kept many movie fans from checking out the Drexel’s new look. That’s got Henthorn and his staff excited, as well.  

    “This is, in a way, a second chance for us to re-introduce the Drexel,” he says. “And I can’t say much, but there will be more improvements coming in the future.”

    As for the immediate future, Henthorn stresses the Drexel will continue to follow the CinemaSafe guidelines he agreed to shortly after the shutdown.  

    “They’ll be social distancing. Masks will be required unless eating. We’re doing mostly contactless payments. And we’re also on an extremely limited screening program, at least at first,” Henthorn says. “Our idea is to welcome people back, make them feel comfortable and safe, and then adjust as guidelines adjust.”

    You can feel welcome at the Drexel Theatre, 2254 E. Main St., starting this Thursday, May 27. Showtimes and tickets at Drexel.net.

    Drexel Theatre – Photo by Brad Feinknopf
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    George Wolf
    George Wolf
    George Wolf is a member of the Columbus Film Critics Assoc. and a freelance contributor for Columbus Underground covering film. George can also be heard on Columbus radio stations Rewind 103.5, Sunny 95, QFM96 and Mix 107.9.
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