With rains predicted for later this week, you may not think an outdoor movie theater would be your best bet for weekend entertainment. But Cinema Under the Stars can be your perfect stormy weather venue.
One of the best film-going experiences I ever had was watching "Psycho" all snuggled up at Cinema Under the Stars. And as rain fell onscreen at the Bates Motel, I could hear the rain falling overhead at the cinema.
Cinema Under the Stars owner Doug Yeagley said the cinema can take the rains forecast for this weekend.
"We have you completely covered no matter what the weather. There’s watertight dome, if you will, plus we have our heaters; we have the blankets; we have the cushions. It’s completely comfortable," Yeagley said. "But sometimes we have to encourage people more because of the weather conditions. They don't trust us enough to be prepared for the weather, but we are and it's a cozy, unique experience."
The "boutique cinema," as Yeagley calls it, has 62 seats, a mix of zero-gravity lounge chairs and cabana box seats. There are water fountains, a large gong to announce the features, and twinkle lights that Yeagley changes the color of to match the mood of each film.
The venue has just reopened after a short holiday break and programming features 2016 titles that have recently come out on Bluray such as "The Girl on the Train" and "Edge of Seventeen," as well as proven classics such as "Notorious," "Breakfast at Tiffany's," and "Singin' in the Rain."
Yeagley has been running his outdoor cinema for 25 years.
"But it has gone through a lot of evolution from initially when I opened to using my home speakers and making my own movie screen and learning how to project 16mm film 25 years ago to digital projection now that has amazing quality," Yeagley said. "And then we add the canopy for winter to make it weather tight."
Rain or shine you can catch "The Girl on the Train" this weekend at Cinema Under the Stars and classic Hitchcock next Friday and Saturday with "Notorious." Coming up Yeagley will also be hosting an Oscar party where you can watch the Academy Awards.
