Danville's Royal Theater offers cheap, unique, family-friendly movie viewing experience
The Danville resident and former police chief remembers the day being bitterly cold and snowing, but the memories he retains from that moment in time warm his heart to this day.
That's why in 2017 when the theater came up for sale, Wright purchased the building and theater from a friend and local businessman who trusted him to preserve its nearly 100-year-old history.
'I went home and said, 'Honey, guess what I did,'' Wright remembers telling his wife, Sharon. 'She said, 'You did what?''
For a while, a management company would run the day-to-day operations of the theater, but then the COVID-19 pandemic hit and the Wrights saw an opportunity to close down and renovate.
Though the theater was established in 1914, it found its home at its current location on Danville's town square in 1927.
For nearly a year, the two worked to bring the theater back to its original prestige. By comparing old photos, Wright says they were able to pick out the same paint colors and similar carpet.
Through the renovation process, many old relics were found in the walls and attic. Now some sit on display as you walk in the front doors under the building's marquee lit with red, blue and gold bulbs. Old movie tickets, posters and even an old projector weighing a ton greet visitors.
The theater contains one screen and 220 seats. Ticket prices are $5, and concessions are fairly priced. All in an effort to keep the theater attainable and family-focused.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
4 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
New west Niagara business Willow Dawn hopes success is in the (tarot) cards
Breanne Martens has brought her tarot card reading skills and support for local artisans to the heart of downtown Beamsville. 'From going to a bunch of different events and fairs and festivals, I connected with so many people and really felt there was a need for a space like this,' said Martens who opened Willow Dawn at 4968 King St. (across the street from Beamsville Towne Centre plaza) on June 1. 'We support over 20 local artisans and vendors who make really cool one-of-a-kind items.' Those items include clothing, crystals, candles, decor, jewelry, lotions, potions, metaphysical supplies and other witchy wares. The business also offers registered massage therapy and reiki (a form of energy healing) on site. Martens said she is particularly known for her tarot card reading at events and festivals, adding she has done thousands of readings over the years. 'I've been reading for myself and a select group of friends and family since I was 12, and I've been reading professionally full time since 2021,' said the 39-year-old Beamsville resident. 'People take as much or as little out of readings as they do. Tarot is a tool to help people to sort through their own feelings and emotions.' Tarot cards were invented in Italy in the 1430s and used in games or for fortune telling or divination. Martens noted readings from the 78-card deck are more popular than ever. 'A lot of it has happened since COVID,' Martens said. 'Tarot is an awesome way for people to connect with themselves.' During the festival season, Martens said she will do as many as 200 tarot card readings a week. See for more information.
San Francisco Chronicle
17 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Loved ‘Brick' on Netflix? Here's how to find global thrillers like it
There's an effective German thriller streaming on Netflix called 'Brick,' about a couple that wakes up one morning to find that their windows and doors have been replaced by brick. They have no running water, no access to food, and their only possible means of escape is to team up with their neighbors in their apartment building, who are similarly trapped. The movie is fascinating enough in its own right, but it gets even better once you realize its source of inspiration: the worldwide lockdown brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. It's one of the first movies to deal poetically and imaginatively with the sense of panic that was everywhere in those days. But 'Brick' is just one of many new international films that are easily streamable that you probably don't know about. That's OK — to a large extent, neither do I. There's an understandable tendency to look back on the 1950s, '60s and '70s as the good old days for foreign cinema, when movies by directors such as François Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard, Michelangelo Antonioni, Federico Fellini, Vittorio De Sica, Luis Bunuel, Akira Kurosawa, Sergei Bondarchuk and Rainer Werner Fassbinder were not only seen but also highly influential. Yet for the average viewer, were the old days really better? Yes, those films got released, but only in major cities. They were influential only within a small circle. And once films played for a few weeks or a month, they disappeared, only to show up — occasionally — at repertory houses. Basically, we've traded in one set of problems for a new set of problems. But I like our problems better. Today, there are thousands of films from around the globe available on streaming services, such as Netflix, Prime Video and Apple TV+. Indeed, we are in a golden age of accessibility, and our only problem now is one of curation, which is barely a problem at all. With just a little effort, we can do our own curating. This is how I do it (feel free to try this at home): Let's say I want to find out what's going on in Spanish cinema. I get on the internet and look up the Goya Awards, Spain's equivalent of the Oscars. I will write down which films won the award for either best actor, best actress or best picture. Then I look up the titles on to see if any of the streaming services have them. They usually do. It was in this way, I discovered ' The Fury of the Patient Man ' (2016), an amazing Spanish thriller that's only about 90 minutes long and is absolutely riveting. (It's now on Apple TV+.) I follow the same process with regard to the Cesar Awards in France, the Donatello Awards in Italy, etc. Another way to find movies worth watching is to follow a performer you might like. For example, I got interested in the French actress Virginie Efira after reviewing her in ' Benedetta ' (2021) and ' Sibyl ' (2019). So I went on and discovered more than a dozen of her films available for streaming, including 'Revoir Paris.' Available on Prime Video, among other streamers, it's a really good movie about a woman recovering from the terror of a mass shooting. I made the same search for Sophie Marceau and found 'Anthony Zimmer' (2005), a brilliant thriller (on Apple TV+) that became the awful 2010 American remake, ' The Tourist.' Or maybe there's a director you find interesting. Catherine Corsini has made a number of films I've liked (1999's ' The New Eve,' 2009's ' Leaving '), so I watched 'Summertime' (2015), which I've since shown to classes of students, who've loved it. I did the same with Dutch director Paul Verhoeven, the maker of not only "Benedetta" but 'Elle' (2016), and got to see a terrific film called 'Tricked' (2012). It never gets played in theaters because it's only 55-minutes long, but it's available to stream on Apple TV+ and other platforms. So, this is my instruction to you: Follow the trail of what you already like, and it will lead you to more things you'll like. There are insights to be gained from watching movies from outside one's own culture that you just can't get from domestic products. Great movies are rare, in every country and in every language. And you can start tonight.
Eater
17 hours ago
- Eater
A Tenderloin Bathhouse-Restaurant Is (Finally) Taking Dinner Reservations
is the associate editor for the Northern California and Pacific Northwest region writing about restaurant and bar trends, coffee and cafes, and pop-ups. The combo Japanese-style bathhouse and restaurant Onsen is not only back from its pandemic-induced shutdown, but about to serve dinner to San Franciscans once again. In an Instagram post, ownership for Onsen let fans know a summer of pop-ups is on the horizon. Installations include newcomer Dostee, traveling operation Aku's BBQ, tried and true Claws of Mantis, and more. Dinners run from July 19 through August 31, with two soaks and seatings per shuttering due to COVID-induced restrictions, Onsen was an only-in-San Francisco kind of phenomenon. Former San Francisco Chronicle restaurant critic Michael Bauer penned a positive review in 2017. It was a top 100 restaurant pick in 2017 and 2018 for the paper, too. General manager Adam Wren told the Chronicle he'd reopen the bathhouse in late 2024. The upcoming meals and bathhouse experiences start at $110 for parties no larger than four. Saluhall gets a familiar face Dominic Prado and his Tacos El Ultimo Baile are coming to San Francisco. He'll take his Fruitvale-born business to mid-Market's Saluhall, taking over one of the former tenant spaces on the second floor. Tacos and burritos full of 12-hour smoked brisket or topped with mozzarella, vampiro-style, are on the menu. This location will run seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m as of Saturday, July 12. Coffee phenom location up for lease Local fruit coffee innovator Outset has a big 'for lease' sign up in its Valencia Street location following a few weeks of smaller 'closed temporarily' signs in the window. Owner Heng Qiu says his business partner is in direct negotiations regarding the space with the landlord to try to reopen, and he is unsure of the status of the negotiations. The FiDi outpost remains open. Michelin-approved pairing hits Van Ness Food security nonprofit Farming Hope will host Hilda and Jesse for a chef dinner on Thursday, August 14. Chef Ollie Liedags' work at the North Beach restaurant has cemented the relative newcomer as a mainstay fine dining player in San Francisco. Expect three to five courses with an optional drinks pairing, proceeds of which support the nonprofit's second chance hiring programs and community gardening efforts. Early bird tickets are available until Monday, July 14, and can be purchased online. Eater SF All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
