Fairfield Arts & Convention Center exploring first-run movies in its theater

FAIRFIELD - The Fairfield Arts & Convention Center could be showing first-run films in the near future.

The idea of purchasing projection equipment to run Hollywood motion pictures is being considered by the arts center's board of directors. The board recently sent out a survey on the matter to more than 500 people, including its donor list and those who have purchased tickets to a performance or event. The board plans to discuss the results of the survey at its next meeting later this month.

Arts Center Executive Director Rustin Lippincott said the board began discuss this idea a couple of months ago, and formed an ad hoc committee to determine the feasibility and potential demand for first-run films at the Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts. The Sondheim has hosted films on its projector, such as silent films and documentaries such as all three of the films made to date in the Fairfield History Series. However, Lippincott said the Sondheim would likely need capital upgrades to its projection equipment for it to be cinema worthy.

'We would fundraise for a state-of-the-art projection system,” Lippincott said. 'The board is discussing having mainstream movies in the summer and a few nights a week. The movies would run two to three weeks after they are released nationally, which would lower the cost to us.”

Between performances and rehearsals, the Sondheim theater is used 75-100 times per year, which means there are plenty of days where it's not used when it could accommodate a film. Lippincott added that most performances between Thursday and Saturday, so films could run earlier in the week without interrupting the live performances.

Lippincott wants the public to know that the movies would not in any way supplant the live entertainment the Sondheim offers but rather add to it. The Sondheim's artist series runs from September through May, and Lippincott said the summer would be a great time to show movies since the theater is not used nearly as much.

'The committee is looking into the costs right now,” he said. 'One of our main goals since Day 1 has been to preserve the quality of the theater for future generations, and that will not change if we add movies to our programming. If the board decides to go through with this, it will give our patrons another thing to do in Fairfield.”

Lippincott said that, a few years ago, the Sondheim hosted a couple movies a day during a two-week period. That said, he added that a review of the theater's equipment would be necessary to make sure everything is up to the movie industry's standards.

In other news, the arts center has asked the Fairfield City Council for help paying its maintenance costs. According to the lease signed between the two parties in 2010, the arts center would cover the cost of maintenance through 2030. However, Lippincott said that a few big ticket items have arisen, plus a few others that are on the horizon, that require revisiting that lease.

'The building will celebrate its 15th anniversary next year, and it's become apparent that some of our capital items are toward the end of their life,” Lippincott said. 'Our areas of concern are the roof and HVAC systems, as well as other exterior parts of the center. We need to keep the building in shape for future uses.”

Lippincott said the center is not asking the city to pay for its programming, employee salaries or promotions.

'We are committed to fundraising additional revenue to cover these projects,” he said. 'We've got a strong fundraising committee, and we hired a new development director a couple of months ago, Mendy McAdams. We're exploring additional revenue ideas, too, such as the potential of having movies at the Sondheim.”

Lippincott said the center has not asked the city for a specific dollar amount. He simply presented the center's five-year plan to the council's ways and means committee, and noted that accomplishing that plan required more money from the city.