After two years of fundraising, Long Beach’s historic Art Theatre will reopen Wednesday with a new 4K projector and screen that its operators say will transform the moviegoing experience.
Test runs were held Tuesday morning inside the 100-year-old theater, where board members demonstrated a 4K laser projection system and screen they said vastly improves upon the brightness and sharpness quality of their last model.
Kirk Jordan, the theater treasurer and board member, said the difference looks “amazing.”
Renovations cost more than $100,000 and come after two years of fundraising. The theater decided to overhaul the system last year after being told that Sony would quit carrying parts for their previous model, which is about 17 years old.
Going forward, the theater hopes to purchase subwoofers in the spring.
“The new projector has unlimited capabilities; we can now play any movie: first run, classic, or documentary film either by digital download or by using a 4K Blu Ray player,” Jordan said, adding it can also show films in all aspect ratios.
Crews spent Monday and Tuesday taking down the old screen and hoisting the old projector from its booth through a torn-out window, with hopes to resume programming Wednesday.
Those interested can donate directly to the nonprofit theater or sign up for a membership program. Yearly memberships start at $75 annually for students and seniors. For more information or to check out the theater’s calendar, visit here.