While venturing out to a movie theater may seem like a waning pastime in an era when it’s easier than ever to bask in the glow of your favorite streaming service, The State Theatre is working against that notion by offering a unique movie experience that viewers won’t get at home or even the major chains.
Located in the center of downtown State College, the venue has a long history of screening films, right back to its origin almost a century ago.
“The theater was built by Warner Brothers in 1938,” says Bob Livsey, facilities manager and film programmer. “It was built as sort of a test house. They would bring movies here and see how the crowd reacted to them before they took them to major markets.”
Decades later, the theater fell into a state of disrepair and closed down in 2001. But it didn’t remain shuttered for too long; thanks to donations from the Friedman family and contributions from the community, The State Theatre was renovated and reopened in 2006. While this new incarnation of the theater was host to live music, plays, and other types of performances, it also has remained a destination for filmgoers.
“We’ve just been plugging away ever since,” Livsey says. “We are trying to evolve our movie program by showing more repertory films. There’s a great deal of classic movies out there that we think people would really enjoy.”
Though the theater occasionally gets newer releases and even early screenings of upcoming films, the venue primarily offers patrons an opportunity to see movies on the big screen that are no longer playing in other theaters. From old classics to big blockbusters and everything in between, Livsey says there are a lot of decisions to be made when it comes to filling out the schedule.
“We look at many different factors like how the movie is doing, does it skew younger, does it skew older? Is it a holiday? There are summer movies versus winter movies. I mean there is really a giant rabbit hole that we sit down and dive into and then just try to figure things out as we go.”
Some films are such a big hit that they even get played on an annual basis.
“We do some yearly events,” explains Livsey. “‘The Big Lebowski’ is always a fun movie. ‘The Blues Brothers.’ ‘Interstellar’ was really popular and we sold out the house. So there are movies that are sort of classics that people always want to see. They’re sort of a phenomenon and just blow out the place.”
This type of engagement with older movies is one reason why Livsey thinks theatrical viewing can’t be entirely replaced by streaming.
“We’re aware of what streaming has done to the movie-going experience, but we do maintain a very high level of service here. We really want our customers to immerse themselves in the experience, and I don’t think the communal group enjoyment of a movie will ever be replaced by sitting in your living room in your pajamas, watching it on the TV screen.”
In addition to giving people a chance to see both hidden gems and old favorites on the big screen, The State Theatre is evaluating other ways to engage film lovers. Until recently they offered a membership program called Reel Fans that allowed people to get free tickets and even choose a movie for the theater to play, depending on their donation level. While that program has since been retired, the theater has a few ideas in mind to continue its legacy.
“We are going to be putting a new program out,” assures Livsey. “It’s in the development phase right now so we’re really not sure [what it’s going to look like]. We’re going to take some of the good things from Reel Fans and maybe implement that into a different program with several different rewards.”
For local residents and visitors looking to escape the heat this summer and get lost in a film, Livsey has a few things to say about what patrons can expect in the coming months.
“We don’t have specifics that far planned out, but we usually play movies like ‘Jaws,’ which is always a perennial favorite in July. We generally screen ‘Pulp Fiction’ around late summer. That’s a big event for us, so keep an eye out for those.”
The theater isn’t picky about which era, country, or genre they choose from when it comes to movies. Everything from silent films to new releases have made appearances on the schedule, and the team hopes viewers will leave with an experience they can’t get at home or even at other theaters.
“There are definitely some movies that need that communal big screen experience,” says Livsey. “Some of these movies are national treasures for a reason. They are truly classic and beautiful and wonderful and we just want everyone to have a good experience when they come.”
Upcoming films on the schedule include “The Green Mile” on May 22, “Neighbors” on May 23. “Aliens” on May 24, and “The African Queen” on May 25. Check out thestatetheatre.org/upcoming-movies to find out what’s playing soon. T&G
Matt Farley is a freelance writer in State College.
