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The Morning Movie Club, which brings first-run films to the New Canaan Playhouse on Tuesday mornings with no previews and a 10 a.m. sharp start, is heading into its third season in New Canaan next month.
L-R: Kerry Anderson and Michelle Howe, founders of the Morning Movie Club. Contributed
As membership has soared to nearly 100 members, co-founder Michelle Howe said the club’s appeal comes down to something simple.
“Our big hook is that there are no previews,” Howe said. “You know, you go to the movies now and there’s over a half hour of previews. We don’t have any of that. It’s very clean and simple and our members really, really like it.”
The format, she said, is designed to work around a busy schedule.
“You watch the movie, you have time to have lunch with your friends, go to an afternoon appointment, pick up your kids at school,” Howe said.
Members purchase a membership on the club’s website and receive the choice of eight first-run films over the course of the season, one per month, from September through April. The first screening of the new season is September 15.
Howe and her co-founder Kerry Anderson started the club in Greenwich in 2016, later expanding to Stamford, Wilton and Westport. When COVID hit and Greenwich lost most of its movie theaters, they brought the club to New Canaan.
“The nice thing about doing it in New Canaan is that we’ve gotten a lot of our Greenwich people to come to New Canaan, because they’re missing the movie theater as well,” Howe said.
The Playhouse has been a reliable home for the club, Howe said.
“They’re very accommodating, very nice, easy to work with,” she said. “Very professional and always willing to do what we need.”
One highlight of the past season was a private screening of “The Devil Wears Prada 2” in May.
“That was hugely popular,” Howe said.
The club has seen its growth driven largely by word of mouth and local influencers, the co-founders said. Howe said the weeks ahead are critical for getting new members signed up before the season begins.
“We are desperately still trying to get the word out to people in New Canaan, because there are so many people that don’t know about us,” she said. “I’d say that they should come and check it out. It’s a great experience and you’re supporting a local business, and then they come to the movies and go out to lunch and they’re supporting another local business. It’s just great for the town.”
Membership and the full schedule of films are available at morningmovieclub.com. The club can also be followed on Instagram at @morning_movie_club.