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FUTURE PLANS AT THE AZTEC SHAWNEE THEATER
Initial goals and why they changed
Our initial goal for the rehabilitated Aztec Shawnee Theater was to provide cultural, community, and classic films and film festival entertainment in a unique, vintage package that would appeal to everyone. Old and new classic films were to be shown using original 35mm format, as well as utilizing new digital equipment.
The restoration process was faithfully performed to keep the look and feel as close as possible to its original appearance while, at the same time, having a timeless design that would be just as appealing in the future as it would be upon completion. The theater was to be an anchor to other businesses and the community. This was a goal from which we never wavered, as it was the single most important aspect of our efforts.
Upon completion, the Aztec would operate as Shawnee’s premier vintage theater, presenting a wide array of films and programming to appeal to all elements of the surrounding community. Classic cinema and art films would be presented in “movie palace” style, and film festivals with a central theme in specific genres (westerns, love stories, sci-fi, etc.) would also be offered. Seasonal films would accompany specific holidays, like Christmas, Valentines, and Veteran’s Day, to name a few. Aztec Shawnee Theater branded souvenirs would also be available for purchase anytime via the website.
The Aztec will also be available as an event space. The theater will be a versatile space for individuals and businesses looking to have their event held in a truly unique facility. Birthday parties, weddings and receptions, anniversaries, and even private showings are just some of the possibilities. Businesses will be able to hold corporate events such as meetings, lectures, private functions, and other special events at the Theater. The “movie palace” experience will be an integral part of all activities at the Aztec Theater. Upon completion, the Aztec Group plans to make arrangements to get The Aztec Theater on the National Register of Historic Places.
In addition to movies, film festivals, and event space rental, the Aztec Group had plans to offer live musical entertainment at the Aztec Shawnee Theater.
Our plans which began even before we purchased the building in 2017 continued and remained unchanged through the restoration process until March of 2020. With our target opening date of June 2020 in sight and the building restoration close to completion, we began coordinating movies and booking private events. And then, the global pandemic hit….and everything just stopped. We could only have a few contractors on site, which would delay our progress and most likely, our opening date as well. People were now prohibited from congregating closely, especially in small spaces. More importantly, movie theaters began closing and going bankrupt. We found ourselves asking the question, “what do you do when all of your efforts and investment have focused on one main goal, only to have that industry unexpectedly and very abruptly begin to crumble?” The answer…..”Pivot…and do it quickly!” Time is money, and a pivot was necessary.
In the immortal words of John Steinbeck, “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.”
And so, we had to change. Instead of installing 35mm movie projectors, surround sound speakers, a projection screen, and a digital cinema processor, we purchased amplifier racks, stage monitors, concert speaker arrays, a spotlight, and a sound board. Our focus had to change from classic movies throughout the week with a random concert thrown in, to concerts every Friday and Saturday with a few classic movies throughout the year.
But our goal to create a beautiful, timeless space that the community would be proud of never changed. Only our regularly scheduled entertainment would be altered. As it turns out, the pandemic was a bit of a blessing in disguise. With only the six owners as employees for the first full year in business and only being able to allow small quantities of customers to attend each concert (due to social distancing), we were able to slowly build our business without feeling overwhelmed, giving us time to work into what we are today.
