It’s show time.

On January 31, 1927, the New Glen Theater opened its doors. With seating for 1000, a $25,000 Barton Organ, and “ushers who showed patrons to their seats, stood at the various exits during the evening--” guests were greeted with an atmosphere right up there with a Hollywood premier.

Okay, so the Glen Theater has changed during the past 84 years, but in some ways it hasn’t. With all of the new mega-theaters that have popped up over the past decade or two, something is missing when you enter; similar to going to the mall, and heading into one store instead of another (in the mega-theater’s case it would be one theater instead of another) there really is little glamour or remembrance of the days when going to a major motion picture was an event and not an “I am bored and have nothing else to do.”

Walk into the Glen Theater and you have a ticket seller booth that has withstood the test of time. Yes there are some modern conveniences now associated with it, but nothing like other theaters---it might not be glamorous, but then again, if you want to step back in time, you have to give up some of today’s modern day razzmatazz. I actually think it’s kind of cool.

When I first went to The Glen I was kind of in shock; I had not been to a theater like this since I was much younger and when I learned of some of its history recently, I knew it was going to be fun to write about in “Our Town.” I had no idea there was a bowling alley in the basement or that it had been featured in other motion pictures (it was in the movie, “Lucas” with Charlie Sheen, Corey Haim, and Kerri Green) and whereas I have seen wedding photos taken under its marquee, I have also heard that the marquee has been used to ask for a prom date. Sure hope she said “Yes.”

If you have not been to the Glen Theater recently, head back soon. If you are going to wait until all of the Academy Award nominees are featured—something they do annually--- you will be waiting in lines. It’s one of the special moments every year where you cannot only be in the know of who is up for the awards, but in a night or two you can see them all. In other words, “It’s show time!”

Thanks for stopping by.