In February, Hiway Theatre, located at 212 Old York Road in Jenkintown, will celebrate the one-year anniversary of the historic theatre’s reopening with a new film series. Guided by the theme, Road Trips and Amazing Journeys, the upcoming series will run from February 15th through February 21st.
Built in 1913, the one-screen movie house can trace its history to the silent film era. Now an important cultural landmark for the Montgomery County and Greater Philadelphia region, the Hiway Theatre operates as a nonprofit member-supported community theatre, offering a unique cinematic experience that enlivens the human spirit, fosters dialogue and promotes learning in an unparalleled environment. For information on upcoming events and the history of the theatre, visit www.hiwaytheatre.org or call (215) 886-9800.
Road Trips and Amazing Journeys will include independent and studio films, as well as repertory selections, to be announced in the coming weeks. Highlighting documentary and fiction features, film narratives include tales of travel, both physical and metaphysical, personal journeys of the heart and spirit, and more. The series will also feature specialized programming for youth: specifically, selections for tweens and teens.
Hiway Theatre Executive Director Fred Kaplan-Mayer is thrilled to offer this special film series, which is being launched by virtue of a generous contribution from the Jenkintown Borough. “Since our reopening, the community response has been tremendous,” says Kaplan-Mayer. “This is our Valentine’s Day present to all our moviegoers and supporters – special films that tell tales of journey and transformation. It is due to community support that the Hiway has been able to transform itself and fulfill its potential as an entertainment destination and as a community organization.”
The series coordinator is Teri Yago Ryan. Ryan is the former Director of Michigan’s acclaimed East Lansing Children’s Film Festival, with a background that includes extensive industry experience in motion pictures and television.
Since 1913, Hiway Theatre has undergone many renovations and name changes. In 2003, a group of local residents who recognized the Hiway’s importance to the Jenkintown community formed a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization to purchase, operate and rehabilitate the theatre. After many years of neglect by previous owners, the new Board of Directors persevered in raising $2 million to fully renovate and update the theatre, adopting the name Hiway – one of the original names of the theatre, recalled affectionately by many Montgomery County and Philadelphia residents. The single-screen movie house evokes an earlier time with its retro interior finishes and original fixtures, while incorporating modern conveniences, complete with 320 new seats for the auditorium, updated projection equipment, Dolby surround sound, as well as an expansion of the lobby with a full service concession stand. The Board is currently at work on the second phase of the capital campaign, raising the remaining funds needed for the “finishing touches,” including the installation of a vertical, neon sign bearing the HIWAY name – a well known sight to residents of the area who came to the theatre during its initial time of operation from 1940 through the 1970s.
In addition to screening first run films, the Hiway has been an annual venue for the Philly Film Fest and the CJHSA Holocaust Film Series and hosts a number of regular programs including the Children’s Matinee Series, Monthly Film Discussion, Classics Series, and Movies Under the Stars, a free, summertime, outdoor program in collaboration with the Abington Art Center, among others.
Press Contact:
Canary Promotion + Design
Emaleigh Doley, (215) 242-6393
High-resolution images available upon request and online at: www.canarypromo.com/hiway
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