As One Leaves, Another One Enters

I wrote my post about The Perks of Being a Wallflower before knowing the Bridge Theater is closing. Technically, I read the news after finishing the post (but prior to posting it on-line) but was too lazy to rewrite the post.  Since I didn't know the news when seeing the film, it didn't affect my viewing experience or my opinion of the film so I didn't update the post.

My decision to see Wallflower was a last minute decision.  It was Saturday night and I was worried that the theater would be crowded and parking would be difficult but then I remembered it was the Bridge.  In other words, it hasn't been crowded there since Peaches Christ strutted her/his stuff.

I would estimate there were approximately 20 people there for a 9:30 PM screening.  I have noticed that the screen curtain at the Bridge has been torn for a few years.  It gives the theater a shabby appearance in addition to the forlorn feel generated by sparse crowds.  I recall wondering, during the previews for Wallflower, how long the Bridge would be in business.

Just as I began to appreciate the plentiful parking (I parked directly in front of the theater for Wallflower)  at the Bridge, they close it.  However, if ever there was a theater that needed to be put out of its misery, it is the Bridge.  Unlike the Lumiere which had funky but lively vibe, the Bridge seemed like it was on life support at every screening I went to.  The men's room had interesting old style urinals though.

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On Wednesday night, I received an email from J. Moses Ceaser regarding The New Parkway.  The subject line was "We're Opening on Friday...Maybe!"

We’re getting down to the wire on all of our inspection stuff.  There’s a ton of things still to do in the next couple of days, but we’re hoping, hoping, hoping that we’ll be able to pass our inspections and get this place open on Friday.  But it’s no guarantee.  The place is far from perfect.  Our kitchen will not yet be ready to serve much food.  We’re still working out some of the kinks, but it’s looking possible that we’ll be showing a movie or three on Friday.

For the moment, assume that we’re not opening, and we’ll send out a short note on Facebook, Twitter, and via this email list to let you know if we are.  And if not, we’ll be open soon, hopefully within days, not weeks.

Talk about a "soft" opening...they're opening on Friday (today) unless they're not.

Their website doesn't list films or showtimes but the email listed Looper, Beasts of the Southern Wild and Pitch Perfect as the opening week films...if they indeed open.  Showtimes were not included in the email either.