The Pocono Community Theater
When I go to the theater in the mall, my feet stick to the floor. I reach for my boyfriend’s hand, and I find an accumulation of gum instead. I pay an exorbitant amount of money for a small popcorn, and if I don’t buy a cup of water, I end up paying more for the food than I did for the ticket. Do not even ask me about the bathrooms. All this, I endure for a scratchy movie with teenagers lip wrestling out of the corner of my eye, as if their eager pants and groans weren’t already distracting.
And then, there is The Pocono Community Theater (PCT), a three-screen theater with a small café out front, complete with that essential cup of espresso and maybe an Italian soda. Quaint and intimate, this theater features films ranging from blockbusters to documentaries, offering everything from midnight showings to matinees. The Pocono Community Theater, a registered non-profit organization, appeals to the artistically high-minded without the pretensions for publically acclaimed art and film. But they are not just a theater.
On April 11, Holocaust Remembrance Day, they lit six candles to commemorate those persecuted and killed in WWII. This three-part event included: a documentary based on the life of the late Tom Breslauer, a Holocaust survivor and long-time Stroudsburg resident; Hungarian survivors recounting their own stories; and a discussion among attendees.
On April 15, local bands, Mad Lucas and Dream of Fire, rocked out to two classic black and white, silent films, The Tempest and Sherlock Holmes. With the rather dramatic figures playing in the background, this unique combo added an additional quirky aspect to the bands’ sets.
On May 1, Kimberly Fisher, the general manager, offered a short class, explaining a brief history of the coffee bean and description of how to make good cup of coffee. She accompanied her presentation with a PowerPoint presentation, a demonstration, and a sampling of beverages to show what to look for when drinking coffee.
On May 2, local artists ranging from kids to adults gathered to rehearse for Poconos’ Got Talent, the local version of America’s Got Talent. These artists, ranging from singers to vertical gymnasts, compete for a 30-minute set at Freedom Festival’s main stage.
With an art gallery in the hallway and stages in two of the theaters for performances, the PCT stretches beyond film and reaches into all sectors of art, offering an eclectic collection of events and a hodgepodge of arts coming together to give an outlet for artistic expression and appreciation in the Poconos. They offer an Educational Outreach program that tries to expand the minds and experiences of the community. PCT, in conjunction with East Stroudsburg University’s Writing Studio, for example, is offering a book and film chat, where they give away 20 free copies of the book A Girl with a Dragon Tattoo and discuss the similarities, differences, positives and negatives between the book and film.
As stated by Kimberly Fisher, the General Manager, PCT seeks to “enrich the community” and “foster an artistic environment.” In comment to offering blockbusters as well as independent films, Fisher says it’s about recognizing “something of artistic excellence…it’s not about money so much as quality.” Fisher speaks reverently about films and the theater experience: “They (films) make you see something else around the world or in yourself that you wouldn’t have noticed before.”
Opened originally as the Grand Theater in 1929 and later reopened as Pocono Cinema, The Pocono Community Theater has descended from a long line of quirky, independent theaters. Passed from owner to owner, this theater has had some rocky times, especially with the not-so-distant downfall of the Pocono Cinema.
But in November of 2008, The Pocono Community Theater opened its doors, hoping to have a better chance of survival than its predecessors now that it functioned as a non-profit. PCT is currently trying to solidify itself in the cultural background of East Stroudsburg, but with money tight, it constantly seeks ways to support itself, ranging from grants to donations from community members and local businesses. Still, the fates of the old theaters linger.
As the U.S. has slowly sunk into economic recession, Americans have less money to spend on luxuries, such as the arts. Schools around the country have cut out music and art programs. Theaters, artists, and related businesses have all felt the crunch as economic hard times push them up against a wall. Even in our own community, the financial crunch is felt. Local elementary schools in Stroudsburg School District will cut 12 teaching positions next year, three of those positions being art teachers.
But as First Lady Michelle Obama said, “The arts are not just a nice thing to have or to do if there is free time or if one can afford it…(the arts) define who we are as a people and provide an account of our history for the next generation.”
The Pocono Community Theater attempts to protect the arts from being pushed aside and neglected in our community, and community members seem eager to keep it around.
Samantha Hartmann, an East Stroudsburg University student and long time PCT patron, said, “I love Pocono Community Theater for its small, artsy atmosphere…My favorite thing about the theater is that it has an old-fashioned, small-town feel, even though the area continues to grow.”
Martha Loomis, owner of Josephine’s Fleur-de-lis on Main Street and sponsor in the PCT’s Discount Program, commented, “The Pocono Community Theater is personal to me. I love going. I love going to the movies, so on a personal level, I’d like to have it there…It’s good for the Pocono area in its richness of not only the movies they provide, but also the community events that it offers.”
For more information on the Pocono Community Theater, call 570-421-FILM or go to their website at www.poconocommunitytheater.org.
Katelyn Cummings, a senior from East Stroudsburg University, studies English Writing with a minor in Chinese. Raised in Henryville, Pa., Katelyn is the Web Editor for The Stroud Courier and hopes to continue a profession in writing. She hopes to travel around for most of her young adult life. She loves crepes with strawberries, Beatles music, and hiking in the summer.
