ELY- The Greenstone Cinema inside Ely’s Historic State Theater officially opens Memorial Day weekend.
Following a brief ribbon-cutting event on Friday, May 28 at 12:30 p.m., public open house guided tours of the entire State Theater complex will be held from 1-3 p.m. Tours will also be conducted on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to noon.
“There is much to see in both theaters including the original State Theater, its Green Room, the new 50-seat Greenstone Cinema, and the Grotto downstairs, as well as the expanded concessions area,” said David Wigdahl, chair of the theater’s board of directors.
Movies will be shown in the Greenstone Cinema at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Friday and at 1 p.m., 4 p.m., and 7 p.m. on the weekend. A different movie will be screened in the State Theater at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Friday, and 2 p.m., 5 p.m., and 8 p.m. on the weekend.
Movie tickets are $5 for all regular shows. Please consult the EHST website at elystatetheater.org for previews and specific show times.
“In addition to these daily movies, the theater has created two special summer programs you won’t want to miss, Summer Classics and Stages on Screen,” Wigdahl said.
Summer Classics will be shown every Tuesday and Thursday from Memorial Day to Labor Day and include such familiar blockbuster films as National Lampoon’s Vacation, The Blues Brothers, and Dirty Dancing.
“Stages on Screen will bring Broadway to our screen on Wednesdays and Sundays with special screenings to include the live National Theater production of Frankenstein with Benedict Cumberbatch, Kinky Boots, 42nd Street, and Carmen on the Lake, among other special events,” he added. These shows will have a $15 ticket price.
For frequent summer viewing pleasure, the State Theater has a Summer Movie Pass available for a limited time with eight shows for $25, a $40 value. There are also several concessions combinations available featuring beverages of soda, wine, beer, or spirits to accompany traditional movie fare.