The Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre is scheduled to reopen July 9.
The center will do so at reduced capacity with a new set of public health guidelines, said Christine Gilmore, center director.
The first events will be film showings called Salon Screenings that will be limited to 30 people. The yet-to-be-announced films will be shown at 7 p.m. Thursday through Sunday the weekends of July 9 and 16. Afternoon matinees also are planned.
The theater is encouraging online ticket sales to maintain a contactless process and is adding assigned seating to maintain social distances between patrons. People who pay online will be able to choose their seat, Gilmore said.
The center is being retrofitted with touch-free faucets and soap dispensers. Staff and volunteers working at the theater will be subject to a health screening that includes temperature checks, she said. Patrons will be encouraged to wear masks in the theater lobby, which is the center’s smallest space, and the theater will be disinfected after each showing.
For the weekend of July 23, they plan to raise the limit on patrons to 50 people.
“We plan to add additional seats as we can, as we feel comfortable and as our community feels comfortable,” Gilmore said. “We’re going to work really closely with our public health people and officials. Safety is front of mind for us.”
While the theater remains closed until then, it has resumed sales of concessions — popcorn, soda and candy — for take-out from 5-8 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays, starting this week. Orders can be placed online at http://www.kenworthy.org/.
