Terry Austin, R-Botetourt, the vice chair of the House Appropriations Committee. There’s a two-story porch that’s barely hanging on,” Austin said.Īustin is a member of the Standing Room Only board and is married to Del. “Have you seen out back? That’s where all the problems lie. Planned improvements to the theater building include repairing or removing the decrepit rear decks. The back decks are lopsided, the stage is a little wobbly, and there might be a family of mice living in the walls, as evidenced by noises coming from the walls on a recent visit. “Seeing a movie is like comfort food for our community,” Austin said. She works at the Buchanan Fountain & Grille, which is just across the street. “You can’t walk in there without seeing someone you know,” said Buchanan resident Samantha Marsh. He likes seeing everyone and making them feel welcome, he said. He said that visitors are sometimes surprised to see him all around town, performing maintenance on town buildings during the day and serving popcorn at night. Gleason volunteers in the theater on a regular basis. They’re always shocked at how affordable it is. They want to do the old-timey, small-scale thing. “It’s a cool thing to have because it draws people in. Visitors sometimes drive in from Bedford, Rockingham County, Roanoke and Salem to see the movies, according to Harry Gleason, Buchanan’s community development planner. Concessions are inexpensive, too it’s possible for a family to buy sodas and popcorn for less than $20. Tickets are $6 for adults and $3 for children age 12 and under, with a $1 discount for Standing Room Only members. “If we’re showing a family movie and they’ve got a bunch of kids, it’s so much cheaper for them to come here,” she said. The patrons are usually families or adults between the ages of 40 and 60, according to Coleman. Movies are shown every weekend beginning on Thursday night. The theater itself is a cornerstone of town activity throughout the year. “I think almost all my grandchildren have done that,” Austin said. Sharon Coleman (left) and Penny Cochran volunteer on a movie night. Botetourt resident and renowned clown Leon McBryde dressed as Santa, and community children would visit with him, she said. Now her son and her stepchildren take their own children to see the movies.Īustin also recalls special Christmases at the theater. She took her son to the Buchanan Theatre when he was young, she said. “That kind of blows people away sometimes,” she said.įor Austin, visiting the theater has been a family affair. And I’m like, ‘Take your pick,’’ Coleman said. “We still have people come in and ask which door they should go through. The original balcony remains intact and continues to overlook the main stage. The Buchanan Theatre still has just one screen with two aisles. “This was the only theater like it around,” Coleman said, regarding the single screen most simplex theaters have added additional screens over the years to allow multiple movies to show at once, but a few single-screen theaters do remain. It was still full in here, then,” she said. “I came here to see ‘ET.’ It was probably the third time I had seen it. She used to watch movies in the theater when she was in her late teens and early 20s, she said, and she remembers times when the theater was more popular. Sharon Coleman is president of Standing Room Only, the nonprofit that has managed the theater since 2001. The Buchanan Theatre first opened more than 100 years ago. The interior boasts an art deco-style tin-tiled ceiling, wooden paneling and framed photos and news clippings from the theater’s past. The theater has the nostalgic charm of a simpler era, when families went to the movies to see films that are now considered classics. It also serves as a gathering place, a special event space, and a venue for live musical performances. The building is a part of the culture of Buchanan, according to Botetourt resident Kathy Austin. For town residents, it is important that the building retain its historic charm. The money will be used to give the theater a mini-facelift. The small-town movie theater in Botetourt County will soon receive $500,000 in state funding as part of the commonwealth’s recently passed budget. For just 5 cents a ticket, patrons could file into orchestra seats and watch a short film. Its opening was part of an explosion of nickelodeon-style storefront movie theaters across the country. The Buchanan Theatre opened as the Star Theatre in 1917.
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