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Big dreams at the Rex
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July 26, 2012 |
 Bonners
Ferry girl Abra Chouinard and her husband, Chris
Robinson, purchased the venerable Rex Theater
not so long ago, and they have big dreams to
bring the old picture house into the modern age,
and to expand beyond the usual idea of a movie
theater to bring arts programs to kids and the
community with direct access to industry
leaders.
To make it possible, they're hard at work to
raise $123,000 to purchase a digital projection
system and a retractable screen. If donations
exceed expectations, additional moneys wll be
used to put on a new roof, a new furnace, a
green room, art classrooms, carpet, supplies and
more.
Being the only theater in Boundary County, the
new digital projection will open the way for the
Rex to present a far wider range of films and
other digital content, including first run
movies. The retractable screen will open up the
magnificent Rex stage, blocked by a static
screen since the mid 1930s, making it available
for plays, live performances and more. With the
new equipment, original plays produced here and
staged at the Rex can reach a global audience,
broadcast around the world.
Chris and Abra know whereof they speak. They met
while attending art school in Seattle 15 years
ago and they've been making art together ever
since. Abra directs and produces independent
films and Chris an art director in the gaming
industry. Once the new gear is in place, Abra
plans to offer the community classes in film,
digital media and on-line broadcasting while
Chris will focus on teaching children all about
art and play production. To promote art in our
local schools, a portion of each movie ticket
sold will be donated to classroom art programs.
Donors will get some pretty cool perks for
helping bring out all the potential the Rex has
to offer our community. Each donor will be
invited to attend their Red Carpet Grand Opening
Party to take place once the new equipment is
installed, and each will be included in their
on-line "Wall of Fame."
Those who donate just $5 will get a free popcorn
an their name engraved on a plaque to be
displayed in the lobby; those who donate $25 get
their name engraved, a free popcorn and a free
soda. Those who contribute $50 will get al the
above, plus one free movie ticket and a limited
edition commemorative baseball cap designed by
Chris.
$100 donors will get free popcorn for a year, a
signed and framed photo of the historical Rex
and a baseball cap. $500 donors will get the
cap, the photo, the engraved name on the plaque
and free popcorn and soda for a year, and those
who pony $1,000 will enjoy free movies, popcorn
and soda for a year along with the other
goodies.
The major donors get perks for life; at $5,000
you get one free popcorn, a soda and a free
ticket every time you visit. At $10,000 or more,
you not only get free admission, you'll have
your own engraved chair, either one, two or a
whole row!
You can find out how the campaign is going by
following the Rex on Facebook,
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rex-Theater-of-Bonners-Ferry/218131441567785,
or on their Indiegogo page,
http://www.indiegogo.com/rextheaterbonnersferry?c=home.
The Rex Theater, which took its name in 1923
after the wild-west Amazon Theater, establiished
in the late 1800s, was renamed, is located in
downtown Bonners Ferry at 7222 Main Street. To
find out more, call (208) 267-2682. |
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