bnorthup
01-14-2003, 12:39 PM
Myrna Loy Retrospective
Spotlights are shining brightly again at the Myrna Loy
By Brent Northup
Thursday, March 1, 2000, was the night the lights went out at the Myrna Loy. Helena’s fine arts showcase closed because, as the Myrna Web site says, “revenues began to fall short of expenses.”
Not only were film buffs and connoisseurs of fine art disappointed with that closing, but Mother Nature reacted with a vengeance. While foresters and environmentalists may disagree, we film buffs figured that the burning of 884,000 acres of Montana forest during that summer was a sign that the Myrna Loy needed to reopen quickly!
Fortunately, the community realized what it had lost and rallied to support Myrna.. After six months in the dark, the Myrna Loy Center for Media and Performing Arts reopened on September 1, 2000 – to the cheers of art lovers from Wolf Creek to Corbin. And, by the way, only after the movies returned did the fires finally die down.
The Myrna reopened with a smaller staff and a leaner programming schedule. Movies, which had formerly been simply one star in Myrna’s constellation of the arts, became a more central galaxy in the new programming philosophy.
But no matter what the nature of the programming – whether dance, string quartets, live theater, punk rock or movies – the question remained whether the Myrna could sell enough tickets and raise enough money to keep itself open permanently.
Now, three years after the resurrection of The Myrna Loy, the signs are encouraging. The year 2002 was the best movie year in Myrna Loy history. Both the summer and winter quarters broke all-time records. Leading the way was “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” which packed the aisles in July and again in December.
In fact, “Wedding” was so successful that it had the second biggest single week in Myrna Loy “recorded” history, trailing only “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Film attendance records are available only from 1994 to 2002, but film programmer Les Benedict says he’s relatively confident no earlier film sold as many tickets as “Tiger” or “Wedding.” The biggest film from the earlier years, says Benedict, was Scorsese’s “Last Temptation of Christ” which “played to jam-packed houses of people who had to walk through lines of protestors to get to the movie. But we only had 80 seats then.”
In terms of total attendance for the year, the fiscal year ending in June 2002 attracted more than 17,600 moviegoers, a second consecutive all-time record – and the theater is on pace to top the record again when the current fiscal year ends in June 2003.
“We may top 18,000 this year,” says Benedict.
This year’s best attended Myrna Loy films, in order, were “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”, “Minority Report,” “Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood,” and “Gangs of New York”.
Looking back in the archives, Benedict tabulated the best attended films of the past eight years, since records began being kept in 1994.
For the record here are the best attended films since 1994: 1) Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2001) 2) My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) 3) Life is Beautiful (1999) 4) The English Patient (1997) 5) Elizabeth (1999) 6) Chicken Run (2000) 7) Romeo and Juliet (1996) 8) Minority Report (2002) 9) First Knight (1995) and 10) Pulp Fiction (1995).
A quick glance at the top films reveals that four of the top 10 played in the last two seasons, and six of the top 10 in the last three years - a sign that movie times are improving at the Myrna Loy. In fact, the “sold out” sign has been on the theater continually during the run of “Wedding,” and there weren’t many empty seats on the opening weekend of “Gangs of New York” which was shown in the main 225-seat auditorium.
It’s worth noting, of course, that high attendance does not guarantee high profits – because some of the more popular movies cost more to book, says Benedict. But even taking higher rental costs into account, Benedict says that there is more net revenue from movies than before.
Still, there’s no denying these are encouraging times, especially on the Myrna Loy movie front.
But why? What’s happened to increase the number of Helenans attending movies at the Myrna Loy.
Benedict offers a variety of possible explanations.
First, the Myrna Loy is using the big auditorium more frequently for the big hits – which means fewer moviegoers get turned away. Before the shutdown, Benedict estimates the big screen was playing movies about 16 weeks a year. Now the theater books films in the big room 26 or more weeks a year – plus 52 weeks a year in the small auditorium.
Second, Benedict admits that he’s booking more mainstream movies, which he calls the “Oscar quality” Hollywood films, rather than simply “obscure” foreign films. “We used to play more films about Yak herders,” laughs Benedict. “Now we’re doing a better job of balancing art and commerce. But there are still types of movies like ‘Jackass, the Movie’ that I just won’t show at the Myrna.”
Benedict says the theater has tapped into what he terms as a hunger for more uplifting films, a trend he says may be traceable to the national tension felt since the tragedy of 9/11. “ ‘Greek Wedding’ is happy and uplifting,” says Benedict. “And it’s amazing the different types of people that are coming to see it.”
Benedict also says that the theater is gradually figuring out not only what people want to see, but when they want to see it. For example, Benedict knows that when the legislature is in session, attendance will go up if he brings in quality, Oscar-worthy films and exceptional foreign films.
“The legislators and the lobbyists must have good taste,” he chuckles, “because our attendance goes up whenever they are in town. Francis Bardanouve of Harlem, for example, was a legislator and rancher from Eastern Montana who loved to come to the Myrna Loy during the sessions, recalls Benedict.
In non-legislative years, Benedict focuses on Oscar nominees until the Academy Awards are given out, and then turns to the more obscure but critically acclaimed foreign films until the weather warms up. Those independent films are important, because, says Benedict, those serious films “kind of cleanse the palette for serious film buffs – it’s like a taste of sherbet or a sip of fine wine.”
In summer, he turns to slightly lighter and “fluffier” fare.
He admits, however, that the draw of a movie is quite mysterious. “Big Fat Greek Wedding”, for example, defies all formulas.
“We probably had our biggest weekend in history last weekend ,” he says. “So many people wanted to see ‘Wedding’ that we moved it to the big auditorium and still sold out almost every show.”
Benedict says the theater does not advertise more, but relies more on its Web site to get the news out.
“If you show something people want to see,” he says, “you can almost keep it a secret and they’ll still find it.”
As for the year ahead in movies, Benedict says there are lots of movies waiting in line to be shown. The success of “Wedding” and “Gangs,” came at a price, he says – meaning that fewer total films played the theater last month, because of those popular hold-overs. The Myrna continues to book 70 to 80 films a year, says Benedict.
So it’s clear that the movie side of the Myrna Loy has stabilized, but what about the overall health of the Myrna Loy Center?
“We’re always on the edge,” says executive director Ed Noonan, “but we can see six months down the road now, and we have a small reserve fund.”
Noonan points out that most events are now staged at the theater, cutting down on the costs of booking other locations, such as the Civic Center. And Noonan is clearly proud of the programs offered in local schools and of Mondays at Myrna, a summer program that is drawing more people each year.
“Attendance at live events is up, too,” says Noonan. “Many events have been close to sold out.”
Noonan is careful to add, however, that attendance, alone, can’t stabilize the Myrna Loy. He notes that more than half of the annual $500,000 budget must be secured through fund-raising. The stability of the theater is directly linked to community support, he says, and the 400 members who donate more than $30,000 per year form a crucial anchor for the Center.
“We have the same budget we had before the shut down,” says Noonan. “But we have only two full-time employees and three three-quarter-time employees, whereas we had six full-time before, so we’re stretching our human resources further. But we’re still actually offering the same or more programming than we did before.”
Noonan points out that there is a financial plan in place that seeks to assure the future of the Myrna Loy, and includes contingency plans for times when revenue falls. His mood seems cautiously optimistic about the long-term prospects for the Myrna Loy Center for Media and Performing Arts.
“We’re three years down the road from the closing, now,” says Noonan. “And we’re providing the same not more service to the community. I’m optimistic because of the care and support the community has given us. ”
And, while Noonan welcomes publicity about the Myrna Loy and is relieved that it has found some financial stability, he worries that the community might mistakenly assume that the hard times are over and that their support is no longer needed
“Everything that happens at the Center happens because of the Helena community,” says Noonan. “We always welcome more partners who give financial, in kind or volunteer support to the Myrna Loy. Without such support, we just couldn’t do what we do.”
END
Spotlights are shining brightly again at the Myrna Loy
By Brent Northup
Thursday, March 1, 2000, was the night the lights went out at the Myrna Loy. Helena’s fine arts showcase closed because, as the Myrna Web site says, “revenues began to fall short of expenses.”
Not only were film buffs and connoisseurs of fine art disappointed with that closing, but Mother Nature reacted with a vengeance. While foresters and environmentalists may disagree, we film buffs figured that the burning of 884,000 acres of Montana forest during that summer was a sign that the Myrna Loy needed to reopen quickly!
Fortunately, the community realized what it had lost and rallied to support Myrna.. After six months in the dark, the Myrna Loy Center for Media and Performing Arts reopened on September 1, 2000 – to the cheers of art lovers from Wolf Creek to Corbin. And, by the way, only after the movies returned did the fires finally die down.
The Myrna reopened with a smaller staff and a leaner programming schedule. Movies, which had formerly been simply one star in Myrna’s constellation of the arts, became a more central galaxy in the new programming philosophy.
But no matter what the nature of the programming – whether dance, string quartets, live theater, punk rock or movies – the question remained whether the Myrna could sell enough tickets and raise enough money to keep itself open permanently.
Now, three years after the resurrection of The Myrna Loy, the signs are encouraging. The year 2002 was the best movie year in Myrna Loy history. Both the summer and winter quarters broke all-time records. Leading the way was “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” which packed the aisles in July and again in December.
In fact, “Wedding” was so successful that it had the second biggest single week in Myrna Loy “recorded” history, trailing only “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Film attendance records are available only from 1994 to 2002, but film programmer Les Benedict says he’s relatively confident no earlier film sold as many tickets as “Tiger” or “Wedding.” The biggest film from the earlier years, says Benedict, was Scorsese’s “Last Temptation of Christ” which “played to jam-packed houses of people who had to walk through lines of protestors to get to the movie. But we only had 80 seats then.”
In terms of total attendance for the year, the fiscal year ending in June 2002 attracted more than 17,600 moviegoers, a second consecutive all-time record – and the theater is on pace to top the record again when the current fiscal year ends in June 2003.
“We may top 18,000 this year,” says Benedict.
This year’s best attended Myrna Loy films, in order, were “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”, “Minority Report,” “Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood,” and “Gangs of New York”.
Looking back in the archives, Benedict tabulated the best attended films of the past eight years, since records began being kept in 1994.
For the record here are the best attended films since 1994: 1) Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2001) 2) My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) 3) Life is Beautiful (1999) 4) The English Patient (1997) 5) Elizabeth (1999) 6) Chicken Run (2000) 7) Romeo and Juliet (1996) 8) Minority Report (2002) 9) First Knight (1995) and 10) Pulp Fiction (1995).
A quick glance at the top films reveals that four of the top 10 played in the last two seasons, and six of the top 10 in the last three years - a sign that movie times are improving at the Myrna Loy. In fact, the “sold out” sign has been on the theater continually during the run of “Wedding,” and there weren’t many empty seats on the opening weekend of “Gangs of New York” which was shown in the main 225-seat auditorium.
It’s worth noting, of course, that high attendance does not guarantee high profits – because some of the more popular movies cost more to book, says Benedict. But even taking higher rental costs into account, Benedict says that there is more net revenue from movies than before.
Still, there’s no denying these are encouraging times, especially on the Myrna Loy movie front.
But why? What’s happened to increase the number of Helenans attending movies at the Myrna Loy.
Benedict offers a variety of possible explanations.
First, the Myrna Loy is using the big auditorium more frequently for the big hits – which means fewer moviegoers get turned away. Before the shutdown, Benedict estimates the big screen was playing movies about 16 weeks a year. Now the theater books films in the big room 26 or more weeks a year – plus 52 weeks a year in the small auditorium.
Second, Benedict admits that he’s booking more mainstream movies, which he calls the “Oscar quality” Hollywood films, rather than simply “obscure” foreign films. “We used to play more films about Yak herders,” laughs Benedict. “Now we’re doing a better job of balancing art and commerce. But there are still types of movies like ‘Jackass, the Movie’ that I just won’t show at the Myrna.”
Benedict says the theater has tapped into what he terms as a hunger for more uplifting films, a trend he says may be traceable to the national tension felt since the tragedy of 9/11. “ ‘Greek Wedding’ is happy and uplifting,” says Benedict. “And it’s amazing the different types of people that are coming to see it.”
Benedict also says that the theater is gradually figuring out not only what people want to see, but when they want to see it. For example, Benedict knows that when the legislature is in session, attendance will go up if he brings in quality, Oscar-worthy films and exceptional foreign films.
“The legislators and the lobbyists must have good taste,” he chuckles, “because our attendance goes up whenever they are in town. Francis Bardanouve of Harlem, for example, was a legislator and rancher from Eastern Montana who loved to come to the Myrna Loy during the sessions, recalls Benedict.
In non-legislative years, Benedict focuses on Oscar nominees until the Academy Awards are given out, and then turns to the more obscure but critically acclaimed foreign films until the weather warms up. Those independent films are important, because, says Benedict, those serious films “kind of cleanse the palette for serious film buffs – it’s like a taste of sherbet or a sip of fine wine.”
In summer, he turns to slightly lighter and “fluffier” fare.
He admits, however, that the draw of a movie is quite mysterious. “Big Fat Greek Wedding”, for example, defies all formulas.
“We probably had our biggest weekend in history last weekend ,” he says. “So many people wanted to see ‘Wedding’ that we moved it to the big auditorium and still sold out almost every show.”
Benedict says the theater does not advertise more, but relies more on its Web site to get the news out.
“If you show something people want to see,” he says, “you can almost keep it a secret and they’ll still find it.”
As for the year ahead in movies, Benedict says there are lots of movies waiting in line to be shown. The success of “Wedding” and “Gangs,” came at a price, he says – meaning that fewer total films played the theater last month, because of those popular hold-overs. The Myrna continues to book 70 to 80 films a year, says Benedict.
So it’s clear that the movie side of the Myrna Loy has stabilized, but what about the overall health of the Myrna Loy Center?
“We’re always on the edge,” says executive director Ed Noonan, “but we can see six months down the road now, and we have a small reserve fund.”
Noonan points out that most events are now staged at the theater, cutting down on the costs of booking other locations, such as the Civic Center. And Noonan is clearly proud of the programs offered in local schools and of Mondays at Myrna, a summer program that is drawing more people each year.
“Attendance at live events is up, too,” says Noonan. “Many events have been close to sold out.”
Noonan is careful to add, however, that attendance, alone, can’t stabilize the Myrna Loy. He notes that more than half of the annual $500,000 budget must be secured through fund-raising. The stability of the theater is directly linked to community support, he says, and the 400 members who donate more than $30,000 per year form a crucial anchor for the Center.
“We have the same budget we had before the shut down,” says Noonan. “But we have only two full-time employees and three three-quarter-time employees, whereas we had six full-time before, so we’re stretching our human resources further. But we’re still actually offering the same or more programming than we did before.”
Noonan points out that there is a financial plan in place that seeks to assure the future of the Myrna Loy, and includes contingency plans for times when revenue falls. His mood seems cautiously optimistic about the long-term prospects for the Myrna Loy Center for Media and Performing Arts.
“We’re three years down the road from the closing, now,” says Noonan. “And we’re providing the same not more service to the community. I’m optimistic because of the care and support the community has given us. ”
And, while Noonan welcomes publicity about the Myrna Loy and is relieved that it has found some financial stability, he worries that the community might mistakenly assume that the hard times are over and that their support is no longer needed
“Everything that happens at the Center happens because of the Helena community,” says Noonan. “We always welcome more partners who give financial, in kind or volunteer support to the Myrna Loy. Without such support, we just couldn’t do what we do.”
END