CHAMPAIGN — After three months of "going dark" for renovations, the Virginia Theatre will reopen to the public with a special, free screening Monday.
"Drop," a new PG-13 thriller, will preview at the Virginia at 7 p.m. in partnership with NBC Universal Pictures before being released nationwide. The event is part of the Mix 94.5 and Rewind 92.5 movie series.
Theatre Director Steven Bentz described the screening as a "soft opening" before Ebertfest returns on April 23.
"There are a lot of pieces to put back into place when you darken a theatre for three months, from restoring the stage to re-engaging with staff, but we’ll be ready Monday when doors open at 6 p.m.," he told The News-Gazette.
The theatre closed in January for upgrades to the fly system's computer controls. That work is now finished, and the system is "fully functional," Bentz said. Theatre staff were trained on the new controls last week.
"Our main concerns were always over possible supply chain issues and also the usual challenges of working in a 104-year-old building," he said. "In the end, everything went smoothly and the project was finished on time."
After Monday's screening, the next event on the Virginia's calendar is Ebertfest, which is set for April 23-26.
Organizers recently announced the final three additions to the festival's lineup:
- "Megalopolis" (2024): Written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola, this film has been nominated for multiple awards and is described as "a Roman Epic set in an imagined Modern America." The story focuses on a clash between an idealistic artist who wants to create a better future and a politician bent on preserving "a regressive status quo."
- "I'm Still Here" (2024): Directed by Walter Salles, this Academy Award-winning picture is set in Brazil in 1971 and is based on a memoir by Marcelo Rubens Paiva. The movie, which won Best International Feature Film, tells a story of a mother of five who must reinvent herself after her family suffers at the hands of a military dictatorship.
- "The Adventures of Prince Achmed" (1926): Written and directed by Lotte Reiniger, this animated fairytale focuses on a prince with a flying horse who "befriends a witch, meets Aladdin, and battles demons to win a princess' heart."
Coppola will participate in a virtual Q&A session. New in-person guests include actresses Carrie Coon ("His Three Daughters) and Jane Levy of ("A Little Prayer"), and critics Michael Phillips, Richard Roeper, Matt Zoller-Seitz, Nell Minow, Brian Tallerico, Eric Pierson, Dion Metzger, and Brenda Butler.
Additionally, Sony Pictures Classics Co-President Michael Barker will discuss "I'm Still Here," and The Anvil Orchestra will perform during "The Adventures of Prince Achmed."
Ebertfest passes can be purchased at thevirginia.org or by calling the box office at 217-356-9063.
More information about this year’s lineup is available at ebertfest.com.
Also on the Virginia's calendar this spring and summer:
- May 2-3: "Cinderella," performed by the CU Ballet.
- May 22-24: "Beetlejuice," performed by the Champaign Park District's youth theatre program.
- May 30-31: "Peter Pan: The Ballet," performed by the Champaign Park District's dance arts program.
- June 3: Crowder and Matt Maher.
- June 24: Buddy Guy.
The theatre will also play host to University of Illinois convocation events.
"We’re excited to be reopening better than ever, with some wonderful new technology to share, and we’re looking forward to seeing the public back at this beautifully restored, historic venue," Bentz said.
