The Wichita Eagle from Wichita, Kansas • 34

irvwvv 1 1 'MM) yyTrrryrr'oTftTrTTT rf T1'T HfT THE WICHITA EAGLE Friday May 23 1997 Wichita gets remodeled expanded movie theaters 1 fr an exit peril when it opened last Friday and we had nothing but applause Only four of the six auditoriums at Northrock will feature stadium seating The $3 million upgrade involves ripping out the old floras reconstructing them to a steeper pitch with steel and concrete replacing the repainted and refurbished rocker seats and then redecorating The two smallest auditoriums which have been freshened with new fixtures and decor will retain the original seating pattern Crockett mid Four Northrock auditoriums (one not yet touched) are currently showing movies while the other two are under construction The lobby is also currently a mess Crockett said with the (rid concession counters gone and Hie large chandelier taken down When fintehed the new decor will be futuristic Crockett said The Warren addition which missed being the first new stadium seating open to the public by only a week continues the design of the original theater so closely that it doesn't look like an afterthought That's always the bugaboo with said owner Bill Warren you can't see the transition here We have the same (red green and black) marble the same custom (burnished gold) plaster decorative wan treatments and custom murals by artist Dave LeFleur To do it would be a The project under construction since last foil adds three auditoriums a 375eeater and two 256seat spaces -plus an elegant mini-lobby with concession area and rest rooms that reflect the same modified art deco style of the main lobby and facilities There is even a golden dome over the mini-lobby as in the main lobby While the style is eyecatching what Warren says most people will notice is the comfort level of the auditoriums which feature lots of iegroom The measurement from the back of one row to the back of the next row is 52 indies Tm not tall but I still like lots of iegroom Warren said hate to get my boots stepped on The pitch of the room puts the head of the person in front of you at about the height of your knees guaranteeing no problems with sedng he said Another innovation is a 24-hour ticket machine in a glassed-in room accessible from the parking lot The $40)0 system operates like a bank ATM with people using credit cards to purchase tickets for any upcoming performance of any movie by punching in what they want Warren says It will be in operation within two weeks With the addition the Warren is now a $15 million project $9 million fin1 the 13screen building (although the new auditoriums are numbered 11 12 and 14 to reassure the superstitious) $4 million for the state-of-the-art George Lucas sound system and the rest for the land want luxury and the people here can appreciate the finer things as well as anyone Warren said "You have to do something like this for love not money It's paying for itself in satisfaction" In South Wichita Jay Ingalls a longtime local theater manager is going out on his own with partner Ronnie Cazel to launch a family entertainment center that combines a four-screen bargain movie house with bargain snacks and an adjacent Warren and Northrock add stadium seating Pawnee Plaza reopens as a bargain family movie house and arcade By Bob Curtright lYw Wichita Eagle Summer movies are here and so are a bunch of new places to go to them In Wichita Opening today is the $15 million three-auditorium addition to the Warren Theatre the luxury cinema that opened only a year ago at 21st and Tyler in northwest Wichita The auditoriums add nearly 1000 seats to the ltacreen complex and one features hie largest screen in Kansas (25 by 60 feet) All three have steep stadium seating to guarantee unobstructed views Also opening today actually reopening after closing as a first-run house is the Pawnee Plaza Theatres In the shopping center at Pawnee and Broadway in south Wichita The renovated four-screen complex will be a bargain movie house and game arcade that will cater to families And expected to be finished by mld-Juy are the renovated and upgraded auditoriums including stadium seating and digital sound at the Northrock 6 at 32nd and Rock Road in northeast Wichita Three of the six auditoriums are freshly done now and back in operation Kenny Crockett spokesman for Northrock said the first stadium seating in Wichita since the Crest Theatre was built nearly half a century ago has already drawn rave reviews The acceptance by the public is Crockett said did Km HmWITk Wichita Eagle Owner B1 Warren stands high up in the largest autitorium of his new adcfition to the yearold Warren Theatre in northwest Wichita The steep plunge of the starfium seating is in tended to offer unobstructed sight tines The aurfitorium also boasts largest screen will be open from 11 am to midnight for the summer he said There will be matinees every day and eventually midnight movies on Fridays and Saturdays Hie old Pawnee 4 was the longtime home of The Rocky Horror Picture Show midnight movie but Ingalls doesn't yet know if hell revive that cult classic "We're thinking about it" emas East and Cinemas West Most recently he was the manager who opened the new Deity Plaza fiveplex in November 1995 "We totally gutted the Pawnee and started over with Dolby stereo and thicker seats be said of the $250000 project "We cut a hole in the wall and added an elevator for the disabled We put neon in the lobby and built a new concession booth Ingalls said The only thing people will recognize is the (mosaic) Indian out front The theater and arcade complex Bob Curtrlght writes about movies television and radio He cm be reached at 2684394 Douglas CABARET 0LDT0WN (musical comedy) A musical recreation of a beauty contest in which males in foil yet tasteful drag dance and sing their hearts out to win the title of Miss Glam-Duresse When: Opens Thu through July Shows 8 pm Thu-Sat How much: $15 Information 2654400 I COTTER THEATRE Wichita Centra for the Arts 9112 Central "The Road to Rouen" (staged reading) Reading of drama by Anne Welsbacher part of First Annual Center Theatre Playwrights' Festival When: 8 pm Wed Quest ion-arid-answer session to be held after reading How much: $5 Information 6342787 Musicians on the move "Bartierahop Quarter (drama) An anthology of plays by Bob Peterson part of First Annual Center Theatre Playwrights' Festival Whom 8 pm Thu and May 30 2 pm June 1 Questkxvandanswer session to be held after performances How much: $10 $8 students and senior citizens Information 634 2787 Tim Durham left and Gary Gackstatter w9 play with viofist Jutie Rosseter in concerts in Arkansas City Winfield Undsborg and Oxford today through Sunday in support of Missing You Waltz a new atixim of Gackstatter songs about lost relationships Kansas and famiy among other topics Gackstatter instrumental music drector at Cowley County Community Cofego in Arkansas CHy and conductor of the Winfield Regional Symphony and Arkansas City Community Band has bom one of the winners of the Walnut Valey Songwriters Con- WaRaMimom imnmer theatre xsn "Smoko on the (gospel musical) Depiction of a Saturday-night sing at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in 1935 Whom Through July 6 Buffetshow 6:30 pm Thu-Sat doors open at 6 buffetshow 6 pm Sun doors open at 5:30 Thu matinee: buffetshow 11:30 am doors open at 11 How much: S19-S25 includes lunch or dinner Information 681-1566 game arcade Ingalls said he will be offering $125 movie tickets 50cent kiddie tickets $1 hot dogs $1 popcorn $1 drinks and 25cent games The most expensive item is a $225 large popcorn he said a new discount-on-a-discount concept that started in Los Angeles and is catching on everywhere said Ingalls who managed the Pawnee 4 for two years before it closed as a first-run house perhaps four years ago A 12-year veteran of the local movie biz Ingalls also managed Cin Courtesy photo Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art Kansas State University Kansas Artist Craftsmen Association through June 22 Kirchhefer: 1997 Gift Print Artist" through July 13 Studio: The Santa Fe India School" Sat through July 20 Open 10 pm Tue-Fri 14:30 pm Sat-Sun Free Information (913) 532-7718 Wolf House Museum 639 Fremont and the Goodnow House Museum 2301 Claflin "Hats: The Ultimate Adornment" through Labor Day 10 am6 pm Wed-Sat 16 pm Sun Riley County Historical Museum 2309 Claflin Open 8:30 am6 pm Tue-Fri 2-5 pm Sat-Sun Free MARION Marion Historical Museum 203 Third Local historical items and Santa Fe and Indian artifacts Hours 10 am-noon 26 pm daily and 26 pm Sun Free 314 Main Place collections of sheet music Little Golden Books and postcards Free Open daily or by appointment (316) 382-3996 McPHERSON McPherson Museum 1130 Euclid Open 16 pm Tue-Sun Information (316) 2452574 MEDICINE LODGE The Carry Nation Home National historic home of the famous crusader against tobacco and alcohol 16 pm Wed-Sun Admission $2 children $1 The Stockade Museum Collection of antiques and Indian artifacts Smith Cabin built almost 120 years ago Hours 8:30 am6 pm Mon-Fri 10 See ELSEWHERE Page 12B 1525 Douglas WICHITA COMMUNITY THEATRE 258 Fn ELSEWHERE From Page 6B 10 am-noon 1:304 pm Tue-Fif 24 pm Sat-Sun Admission $2 students $1 Information (316) 947-3775 HUTCHINSON Hutchinson Art Association Art Center 405 Washington Contemporary paintings by Nancy Schwan and Robert Schwan through May Open 9 am-5 pm Tue-Fri 24 pm Sat-Sun Information (316) 663-1081 Reno County Museum 100 Walnut Information (316) 6942663 Hutchinson Public Library 901 Main Mixedmedia works by Roy Brown and artworks by Hispanic artists through May Information (316) 663-1081 Reno County Historical Society 100 Walnut 10 pm Tue-Sat Exhibits: Heights From Haven Onward County: The First Fifty and Children's Place" Free Information (316) 662-1184 Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center 1100 Plum Carey IMAX Dome Theater Admission $550 $5 senior citizens $450 children Now showing: "To Fly!" of Courage" and "Rolling Stones at the Max" (latter at special $12) Justice Planetarium Theater admission $4 adults $350 senior citizens $3 children Now showing: for Comet Hale-Bopp" planetarium show "Hollywood Hits Laser Light Show" "Pink Floyd" laser light show Dr Goddard's Lab with live rocket science demonstrations free with museum admission Hall of Space Museum: admission $5 $450 seniors 60 and (rider $4 children 12 and under Hours 9 am-9 pm Mon-Fri 10 am-9 pm Sat and noon-9 pm Sun' For show times (800) 397-0330 KANSAS CITY AREA Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art 4525 Oak Street Kansas City Mo "Dream House" through Sept 14 Tour of "Highlights of the Permanent Collection' 2 pm Sun Hours 10 am4 pm Tue-Thu 10 am-9 pm Fri 10 am6 pm Sat 1-5 pm Sun Admission $5 adult students with ID $2 $1 children 6-18 under 6 free free to all Sat Information (816) 5614000 or (816) 751-1278 Kansas City Museum Planetarium 3219 Gladstone Blvd Kansas City Mo Information (816) 4834300 Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art Design 4420 Warwick Blvd Kansas City Mo Lucero: Sculpture 1976-1995" through July 6 "Junichi Arai: Glistening Fabrics" through June 15 Hours 10 am-9 pm Tue-Fri 10 am-5 pm Sat 11 am-5 pm Sun Free Information (816) 753-5784 Robert Fulghum's "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten" stage presentation through June 8 Helen Spencer Theatre Center for the Performing Arts 4949 Cherry Tickets Information (816) 235-2700 Coterie Theatre Level One Crown Center 2450 Grand Kansas City Mo Information (816) 4746552 Worlds of Fun 4545 Worlds of Fun Avenue Kansas City Mo Country concert with Joe Diffie and David Kersh Sun Open 10 am-10 pm Sat 10 am-8 pm Sun 10 am-8 pm Sun-Thu beginning Memorial Day Admission $2495 ages 4 and over up to 48 inches $495 children under 3 free senior citizens $1250 after 4 pm admission $1250 two daytwo park admission $3495 Information (816) "Jeffrey" (Paul Rudnick comedy) In Paul play a gay man gives up on romance in the face of the AIDS crisis When: Opens Thu through June 14 Performances 8 pm Thu-Sat How much: $7 Reservations 6851282 Mo "Souvenirs and Memorabilia of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition the 1904 St Louis World's Fair" through May Admission S1-S3 10 am4 pm Mon-Sat 14 pm Sun Information (816) 461-3491 Toy and Miniature Museum of Kansas City 5235 Oak Street Kansas City Mo Open 10 am4 pm Wed-Sat 14 pm Sun Admission $4 $350 senior citizens and students $2 children Information (816) 333-2055 LARNED Fort Lamed Historic Site earty military outpost tours and exhibits 6 miles west of Lamed 10 pm daily Santa Fe Trail Days living history weekend today through Sun of the Old West" exhibit through Thu Park open 8:30 am-5 pm daily Entrance foes $2 Information (316) 2856911 Santa Fe Trail Center 2 miles west of Lamed on K-156 9 am-5 pm daily Admission Information (316) 2852054 LAWRENCE KU Natural History Museum 14th and Jay hawk Blvd Evolution" through June 15 Exhibits include dinosaur fossils panorama of North American plants and animals live snakes 10 am6 pm Mon-Sat noon-5 pm Sun Suggested donations Information (913) 8644540 Spencer Museum of Art KU From the Collection" through May LatePost" through June 29 Anisfeld and the Theatre" through Sun the Divine Horsemen: Haitian Vodou Banners" through June 8 Hours 10 am6 pm Tue-Wed Fri-Sat 10 am-9 pm Thu noon6 pm Sun Free Information (913) 8644710 Museum of Anthropology Spooner Hall KU Katsina" through Aug 3 Hours 9 am-5 pm Mon-Sat 1-5 pm Sun Clyde Tombaugh Observatory 500 Lindley Hall Open after sunset on the first and third Sundays of each month if the sky is clear Information (913) 8643166 Space Technology Center Larry Winn Jr Congressional Space Exhibition Memorabilia from the Apollo Space Program Remote Sensing Laboratory display Nichols Hall KU Free Roy's Gallery and Framing Orchards Comers 15th and Kasold Profiles" artworks by Robert Sudlow John Gary Brown Louis Copt through June 14 Free Silver Works and More Gallery 715 Massachusetts Studies From a Nature Journal" quilts and handmade books by Chris Wolf Edmonds Sat through June 30 LECOMPTON Constitution Hall State Historic Site 319 Elmore Douglas County" spans 1854 1865 2 pm Sun through June 8 Hours 10 am6 pm Wed-Sat 16 pm Sun Information (913) 887-6520 LIBERAL Baker Arts Center 624 Pershing 16 pm Tue-Fri 1-3 pm Sat 24 pm Sun Free Information (316) 6242810 Mid-America Air Museum 2000 Second Regular hours 8 am6 pm Moa-Fri 10 am-5 pm Sat 1-5 pm Sun Admission $5 62 and older $4 students 518 $2 Information (316) 6245263 (800) 4055263 Land of Oz exhibit Dorothy's House Munchkin Land Witch's Castle Emerald City and Oz Museum 9 am6 pm Tue-Sat 16 pm Sun Admission $350 students and senior citizens $250 ages 3-12 $150 Information (316) 6247624 test for the past four years Durham and Julie Rosseter 9 pm Sat Information (913) 227-2842 Courtyard Gallery 125 Main "Heaven and Earth: Through the Eyes of a Storm Chaser" photography by Wichitan Jim Reed through May 31 Hours 9 pm Mon-Sat 12:304 pm Sun Information (888) 2657893 Birger Sandzen Memorial Gallery 401 First Bethany College Chamber music concert by violinist Ruth Ann Leaf cellist Amy McCoul flutist Patrice Moeling and violist David Amott 7:30 pm today free On exhibit: "Mateta Foreberg A Thirty Year Retrospective" a showing of water colors acrylics oils and sketches through June 15 Also on view: oils watercolors and prints by Birger Sandzen Open 1-5 pm Wed-Sun Adults $2 students grades 1-12 50 cents Information (913) 227-2220 LOGAN 2U Exploring Geography" through June 1 Dane Hansen Museum 110 Main Open 9 am4 pm Mon-Fri 9 am-noon and 1-5 pm Sat 16 pm Sun Free Information (913) 6894846 LYONS Coronado Quivlra Museum 105 Lyon "Rice County America of 1902" permanent exhibition Information (316) 257-3941 MANHATTAN Komodo dragon the world's largest lizard will make his debut Sat-Mon at the ZOObilation Arts and Crafts Festival 10 pm Sunset Zoo 2333 Oak kid's carnival entertainment Admission $3 $150 children ages 512 Information (913) 587-2737 Advertising Section Thursday June 1 2 For tho tlmo of your Ilf of To advertise call your Wichita Eagle marketing representative or Mitzie Hall at 2656518 (SjcUHchtta (Eagle nowbrlpyou PRE-FORHEDDIMENSIONAL LETTERSAHDCRAPHICS Unlimited access for only $1995 a month The Wichita Eaglet Internet service brings you: 24 hours a day 7 days a week access to the World Wide Web The Wichita Eaglck web page WichitaOnline FREE 24 hour technical support FREE Netscape Navigator Easy installation and set-upZl Millions of websites E-mail 267-7446 4544545 Ext 44 Bingham-Waggoner Historical So- Undsborg 124 Main Singer song-ciety 313 Pacific Independence wnter Gary Gackstatter with Tim UNDSBORG Coffeehouse of After all it makes sense to tour the new world with an old friend For WichitaOnline and the world Call 1-800-368-6840 Call 436-1200 National News Briefs World News The Lighter Side Of The News Business 00 IS El News And People Talk Plus Lois More! 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