Main Feature Theater working to transition to new digital projector

by Lissa Blake

If Main Feature Theater in Waukon is going to continue to offer movies, it’s going to have to come up with almost $100,000.
Ridge Ministries, which currently owns the theater, needs to raise $97,000 for a new digital projector, as movies will no longer be available in the current 35mm format in the near future. “The projector we have now is a standard projector from 1952,” explained Marlan Mincks, lead pastor for Ridge Ministries.
“The way it works now, when we order a movie it comes on five or so reels you have to splice together. We will no longer have access to physical movie reels, so we have to make this upgrade,” said Mincks.
Mincks said the new projector, which is one of the least-expensive options available, will be 3-D (three-dimensional) capable and will include a brand new sound system. “The sound system is included with the projector. You have to upgrade the sound system when you upgrade the projector,” he said.
“Cresco recently did the same thing we’re talking about and it has increased the amount of their attendance three-fold,” Mincks said.
Mincks said a huge advantage to the new projector will be that the theatre will be able to get first-run movies. “When you’re dealing with film, if you’re not a huge venue, they’re going to first send it to people who are going to make them the most money,” he said, adding film suppliers get paid a percentage of each ticket sold for the films.

THE HISTORY
For a small town, Waukon has a rich theater history, starting with the first theater, opened by Dennis Cote´ in 1910. Located west of today’s Culligan building, the theater showed silent movies, which lasted about ten minutes. The projector had to be cranked by hand. Bob Engrav played the piano and Dennis Cote´ sang.
In 1923, Coté built the Coté Theater on Allamakee Street. Although the movies were still “silent,” the movie companies distributed a record or phonograph to be played simultaneously with the films. Sound became available in the late 1920s.
Coté built the current Main Feature (called the Town Theatre) in its present location in 1938. The theater enjoyed much success during World War II, as movies were a relatively inexpensive form of entertainment. Although the theater has been through several owners since the Cotés, it still makes use of the 35mm film projector they purchased in 1953.

KEEPING IT GOING
Mincks explained Ridge Ministries, which oversees Iron Ridge in Waukon and Stone Ridge in Decorah, owns the theater and rents the space for the church to use Sundays.
“We made a commitment when we bought the place to keep the movie theater for the community. It’s not a moneymaker for us. Its value is that the community can continue to have a movie theater,” he said.
Because the theater is a not-for-profit entity, any donations to the projector fundraiser are tax-deductible. “Any profits we do make go back into the community,” he said.
Mincks said while the current fundraiser is for $97,000 for the projector, the theater plans to invest another $100,000 in upgrading the facility. “We’ve been really fortunate. We had a local person who just moved to Waukon who knew someone they thought would be willing to donate to the renovation. This company out of Chicago donated a new heating and cooling system worth around $20,000,” he said.
Mincks said the theater has also applied for some grants, and is working closely with Laura Olson at Allamakee County Economic Development to apply for additional funding. “Laura has been great to work with,” said Mincks.

WALL OF FAME
Mincks said any sizeable donations will be recognized on the theater’s new donor wall of fame. Benefactors will be displayed on a Willy Wonka-esque “golden ticket,” which will be seen by movie-goers.
The 16-inch tickets will be sold for $5,000 each, 12-inch tickets for $1,000, eight-inch tickets for $500 and a name plaque for $250. Tickets can be purchased by individuals, families or businesses.

OTHER USES
Mincks said one of the advantages of the new projector will include its capabilities for showing Power Point presentations. “We hope people will think of utilizing the space for other uses,” he said.
The theater has already booked an event surrounding Waukon’s upcoming Thunder in the Park Civil War event in June of this year. Pete Grady, a Waukon native, will present “Unconditional Surrender: An Evening with President Grant.” More details about that event will follow.

ELVIS TRIBUTE
To kick start the digital projector fundraiser, the theater will host “The Elvis Show: A Musical Tribute to Elvis Presley,” Friday, February 15, from 7 to 9 p.m. The Elvis tribute will be performed by Elvis tribute guy is Joe Sir and his Rockabilly Rebels Band from Cresco. Tickets can be purchased by calling 563-379-4154 or stopping by the theater. For more information on the fundraiser see the advertisement below in the Entertainment section on this same page or visit ridgeministries.com or mainfeaturetheater.com.

MOVIE SCHEDULE
The Main Feature offers movies every day but Wednesday. Monday is family night. Mincks said because Waukon is the last theater in northeast Iowa to upgrade to digital, its technology will be the most state-of-the-art.
“Because we’re coming along late in the chain, we’ll actually have the newest equipment,” he said.
He hopes the theater will have raised enough money to purchase the new digital projector by April.