After sevenmonths of silence, movie theaters reopen

Michigan’s reopening of movie theaters Friday could not have come sooner for Paul Finnigan, general manager of MJR Chesterfield Crossing Digital Cinema

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“I’mexcited,” said Finnigan, who spent most of his morning preparing for the arrival of guest returning for the first time in more than seven months. “It’s been a long wait.”

When the state’s movie theaters were closed in

March at the start of the coronavirus pandemic and the governor’s stay at home orders Finniganwas among the team members working at MJR in Chesterfield Township who was not laid off.

He’s been alone in the theater ever since.

“I’ve doing this for over a decade and I have never experienced anything like it. The silence has been very eerie,” he said.

No projectors spinning their wheels.

No popcorn popping. No audiences cheering on their heroines on the big screen.

“It has definitely been a lonely time with no guests and employees,” Finnigan said.

However, as of Friday, all of the sounds that were silenced by the pandemic will return and he’s not the only one looking forward to it. Calls to the theater have been nonstop since the governor’s announcement that the ban would be lifted and that theaters could reopen with some restrictions including as an attendance limit of 20 people per 1,000 square

feet, or 20 percent of what it calls “fixed seating capacity,” withamaximumof 500 people inMichigan’s largest venues. The theater’s Facebook page has also been exploding with comments.

“Everyone is excited,” said Macy Korn of Chesterfield Township, who is especially

those who work in the theater. “I really like it here,” Korn said.

Dylan Huntoon concurred.

“I’ve been really bored,” said Huntoon, who was working the early shift along with Korn.

Among the questions being asked by patrons is how safe will it be?

Erik Gubert, marketing director for MJR Digital Cinemas and its 10-theater

chain including MJR Partridge Creek in Clinton Township and MJR Marketplace in SterlingHeights told reporters last week that the company has spent several months developing new guidelines that have the absolute safety of our guests and staff in mind.

Still, there will be people leery of the risks.

As an added measure MJR and other theaters across the state are country

have participated in Cinema Safe, a national program promoting protocols and guidelines developed and supported by leading epidemiologists to support a safe return to movie theaters. As part of the program MJR will have an attendant greeting guests and explaining protocols in place, which will include wearing a mask in common areas such as the lobby and theater (unless

they’re chowing on popcorn).

Some theaters reopening inMacomb County will have limited hours of operation while others such as the Romeo Theatre on Van Dyke inWashington Township feel limiting seating to 20% capacity makes it too difficult to operate at this time.

“We’re planning to be open every day. We want to be open. Wewant to be here

for people and hopefully it will be a strong opening,” Finnigan said.

Some of the films scheduled for the weekend openings include the new releases “Tenet,” “New Mutants,” “Unhinged,” and “War with Grandpa” along with a mixture of favorite film classics.

Formore information on COVID-19 protocols visit https://www.cinemasafe. org/