Lights, camera, comebacks! How theaters are returning to the spotlight

BLUEFIELD, WV (WVNS) – The day and age we live in is filled with movies at the click of a button. 20 years ago, at-home DVD’s were all the craze.  Before that, people left the comfortability of their couches for some popcorn and the big screen.

How have theaters overcome the COVID pandemic and lured visitors back to the theater? Tim Smith, the house manager at the Granada Theater, pondered the question.

“That’s a great question, but people like to come out and come together as a community. They like being able to come here to our theater and see movies and performances, live,” said Smith.

The Granada Theater has a history as grand as its namesake. From huge performers like The Three Stooges and Frank Sinatra, this stage has seen it all.

Smith says no matter how easy it is to obtain movies at home, nothing beats the experience of a movie theater.

“I always encourage people to come out and see what theaters have to offer. It’s not the same theater that your grandmother or your great-grandfather may have been to. But it still has that magic behind it,” said Smith.

Smith says the captivating feeling of a massive screen and booming audio is hard to replicate at home, being able to draw in the audience and hold their attention for the length of the film.

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