rachelh@myweeklysentinel.com
CANTON — New and exciting aspects are coming to the Rialto Theatre this year, including a new board to help guide it to be what the community needs.
Though the Rekindle the Spirit board members were once involved with the Manley-Bohlayer Farm, it is no longer associated with the Apple & Cheese Festival and the Manley-Bohlayer Farm nor the members it once had.
Now, Rekindle has new board member involvement to specifically be concerned about the future of the Rialto Theatre on Main Street in Canton.
New board members are: Thomas Schoonover, President; Rick Hoover, Vice President; Frank Watson, Treasurer; Linda Nickerson, Secretary; Chris Boggs; David Brann; John Estep and Claire Waldmeyer.
The purpose of the board, with members from the Canton and Troy areas, is to welcome both communities of “Western Bradford County” to enjoy the historical theater and all it has to offer. They want the Rialto to be a community hub for Western Bradford County and local youth to be able to enjoy it.
Claire Waldmeyer is the human resources representative and also a liaison from the Rialto to the school district. This is because the goal of the board is to involve more youth in the theatre.
“We are setting up a summer program, which will involve the students in the intermediate grades for reading a book and then seeing the movie,” said Waldmeyer.
Technology in the Rialto has been updated as well.
“We’re excited to announce that we have all the hardware in place to allow presentations at the Theatre,” said Boggs. “The community will have the ability to use, for example, a laptop, that will plug into the ‘big screen’ and show a slide show, which can be useful for teaching a class.”
The projector at the Theatre also has some new capabilities.
“We also have the ability to attach any video game system or a computer into the projector. That can be done at the stage. If any individual wants to bring in their video game systems, you can bring it right in the front,” said Boggs.
The facility also has new WiFi antennas. Online booking and ticket sales will be available on the website in the near future. Patrons will also even have the ability to choose their seat numbers and see a calendar of events of what is going on and for booking purposes.
The board is currently in the interviewing process to find help for the theatre manager.
Memberships and sponsorships are in the works for community members and businesses to purchase said Schoonover. “Memberships are what will help keep the cost and prices of movies lower.”
When the board was asked what they needed from the community, their answer was “butts in seats.”
“Come out. See what’s different. It’s not the same old-same old. There’s a tremendous amount the Theatre is going to offer because it’s not JUST a theater anymore,” said Boggs. “It’s a multi-use facility. We’re really hoping to bring a lot of fresh things into the community that we really didn’t do before.
“And rentals,” added Schoonover. “We really didn’t really use it for that before, but now we’ve already used it for a baby shower, but it can also be used for a meeting space and birthday parties. The use of the building and keeping it busy will help support it.”
Though the board members anticipate a lot of new and exciting events, they still have one question for the community: What would you like to see the Rialto Theatre used for?
For more information or to make a suggestion for this new board, go to www.rialtotheatrewesternbradfordcounty.com.