The Playhouse on Elm Street will continue to run as the town finds a new operator for the beloved movie theater, officials say.
The town-owned Playhouse has been operated since it reopened in June 2024 by New Jersey-based CinemaLab. Yet amid the theater’s financial challenges, the town recently terminated its 10-year lease with the company, and last week issued an RFP for a new operator.
CinemaLab will continue to run the movie theater until a successor is in place, officials say.
Luke Parker Bowles and Brandon Jones, CinemaLab’s co-founders, issued this statement Sunday: “It has been one of the great honors of our careers to help bring The Playhouse back to life, and to be welcomed so warmly by the Town of New Canaan throughout that journey. None of this would have been possible without the steadfast support of our investors, as well as the Town and the State—who are, quite frankly, the true heroes of this effort. While we will continue to manage the building in the interim, we look forward to working closely with a new operator to ensure a smooth and seamless transition. The film industry is undeniably challenging, but we believe we have laid a strong foundation for future creative, vibrant, and successful endeavors at 93 Elm Street—a place that has been a joyful and beloved home for our remarkable staff and for us and we will sincerely miss it.”
It isn’t clear how quickly the town will find a new operator. Parker Bowles said CinemaLab likely will be in place at least into the spring.
“We will still be taking bookings, running films, having private events, working with the community and supporting our staff all the way,” he said.
Closed at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 and available to a new tenant since later that year, when Bow Tie Cinemas terminated its lease, the Playhouse originally was scheduled to reopen for the cupola-topped theater’s centennial (2023) but that date was pushed back amid construction delays. Its nearly $8 million renovation came in at more than twice the original budget, rankling town funding bodies. The Playhouse reopened with a new concession area, pub and second-floor lounge that is available to the public as well as for private events.
Under CinemaLab’s guidance, The Playhouse has featured dozens of independent and even locally written, directed and produced films—including “Empire Waist,” “From Life to Life,” “Rising Hope,” “Novocaine” and “Anora”—with Q&As and panel discussions, in addition to first-run blockbusters, classic films and live performance broadcasts.
So glad to hear The Playhouse will remain open! I hope the new operators will conduct a survey to find out what could be improved – NC residents would have a lot to say.
Why did the town terminate the lease with CinemaLab?
Another Lakeview Avenue Bridge fiasco. Many unanswered financial questions remain, especially by the initial investors. There are consequences to terminating a 10 year lease and operating agreement. Instead nothing but praise here for the party that walked away from their obligations. As Paul Harvey once said: “Now for the Rest of the Story”……… Will not be that easy to find a new operator – movie theatre business is in a downward spiral. Look at the closure of the Wilton theatre, Springdale theatre.
Thank you, Mike, for following up with this article after I mentioned the RFP during last Thursday’s New Canaanite Community Coffee.
For more information on the Playhouse cost overrun, please see Mike’s earlier article:
https://newcanaanite.com/we-dont-want-to-see-this-thing-happen-ever-again-finance-board-approves-further-164000-special-appropriation-for-playhouse-9781272
Any way to find out who are these investors?
lakeview? for all those who don’t know the story. This is it !
lakeview Ave bridge had a cost overrun of $250,000 the Frist Selec6man
at the time Jeb said were not going to pay even with a contract that
had a contingency clause in it. long story short version, get this spent
a $1,000,000 on attorney fees and lost the case which cost the town
$250,000 + the million in fees. I called the contractor — you know me
I like to hear both sides of the story. He said I tried to settle but no response
I know a lot of attorneys –none would recommend spending 1 million to save 250,000.
I think we have the same situation.
1 they spent 8.5 million on this project — OMG
2 They did not bid out the operation of the playhouse
one TC member ask why they weren’t doing so
They think it’s free money — but it’s our money.
There’s never any accountability!
There’s a pattern of not biding in this Town Government — more latter
Hopefully, two things happen now. First, a great, and successful, theater operator comes to the table like The Prospector, The Bedford Playhouse or The Avon.
Secondly, they run it as a mission-driven, non-profit.
That is the example well-established and proven by great, independent movie theaters across the country.
It is vital New Canaan has a movie theater in town, and with any luck, one of these great organizations mentioned above will ensure that happens,
Totally agree that it should be run as a mission-driven non-profit.
And I would add it should be a group with a fluent understanding of cinema past and present; narrative, experimental, documentary. Not just kid programming!
I can think of several thematic grouping of films to curate. The Cinema Lab’s programming has been very underwhelming….
If you google Cinema Lab you will see that they shut down two or three theaters in NJ earlier this year and stopped work on another after raising initial capital from local investors. From reading the stories you might assume they really didn’t know what they were doing. Other than New Canaan they only have one other theater they still operate, in a small Colorado town called Canon City, CO. So whose buddy were they that NC turns the keys of a $8million renovated theater over to them?
It is a beautiful venue, and I agree with Andrew’s comment above. I regularly go to Bedford Playhouse for live music — usually local singer/songwriters, interesting lectures, and book readings and signings. Because of the ability to watch many first run movies from home, whatever entity takes over the space will need to greatly expand and vary the offerings.
Seems like key part of story is missing. Why specifically did the town terminate lease? From movie goer standpoint CinemaLab delivered an optimum experience. First run movies, easy to to purchase on line tickets, comfortable seating and perhaps most importantly good popcorn.
Total lack of transparency. Who is making these decisions? Why is Cinema Lab being rewarded and given a consulting contract tonight at the BOF meeting by Dionna Carlson after they walked away from a 20 year lease and stuck it to the taxpayer’s and a $2 million grant from the State. Many elected and employed New Canaan officials have invested in this venture ( skin in the game). Are they making the decisions. We need total transparency