Milwaukee Film Launches Next Phase of Restoration at Historic Oriental Theatre

MILWAUKEE – Tuesday, April 23, 2019 – Starting May 15, Milwaukee Film will enter its second phase of restoration and upgrades at Milwaukee’s historic Oriental Theatre. These updates, which will serve to elevate the customer experience, include a new concession stand, improved sound quality, fire-safety upgrades, and new seats in the westernmost theater.

“As magnificent as the Oriental Theatre is now, we know there is still work to be done to make it a world-class venue,” said Jonathan Jackson, CEO and artistic director for Milwaukee Film. “Like all our work at the theater, these upgrades will preserve and enhance the historic beauty of this space, while creating the best possible film experience for our guests.”

Concession stand replacement: The current concession stand, which is not original to the cinema, will be completely redesigned to improve efficiency and allow for a greater variety of refreshments and snacks.

Sound upgrades: Sound-absorbing panels will be added in the main house to reduce sound bleed between theaters, and the speaker system will be upgraded to create clearer sound throughout the main theater. Milwaukee Film will also invest in a new assisted-listening device system to improve clarity for guests who may need hearing assistance.

Safety improvements: Upgrades to emergency systems, including fire alarms and exit doors, will improve safety for guests in the event of an emergency.

Seat replacement: All seats will be replaced in the westernmost theater, in addition to significant work on the floors and seating plan improve sightlines and accessibility.

Seats in the main and east houses are scheduled to be replaced in 2020, enabling the cinema to remain open and continue operations throughout the summer months.

This is the second of an anticipated three-phase renovation project at the Oriental Theatre. Phase one concluded last summer and included the addition of a women’s restroom on the first floor, installation of state-of-the-art projection equipment, and repairs to the water-damaged roof and ceiling.

All phase-two projects are scheduled to be complete before the 2019 Milwaukee Film Festival.

In February, Milwaukee Film announced it had surpassed its goal in a $10 million fundraising campaign designed to fund restoration at the Oriental Theatre and create an operating reserve for the nonprofit. More than 900 donors contributed to the campaign, which was launched in 2017 as Milwaukee Film signed a 31-year lease to operate the cinema.

About Milwaukee Film

Milwaukee Film is a nonprofit arts organization dedicated to entertaining, educating, and engaging our community through cinematic experiences, with a vision to make Milwaukee a center for film culture. Milwaukee Film operates the magnificent Oriental Theatre, a historic cinema palace committed to high-quality and accessible film and education programming. The 11th annual Milwaukee Film Festival will take place Oct. 17-31, 2019. For more information or to become a member, visit mkefilm.org.

Facebook: facebook.com/MilwaukeeFilm | Twitter: @mkefilm | Instagram: @mkefilm

About the Milwaukee Film Board of Directors

Milwaukee Film’s independent board is made up of the following members: Chris Abele (Past Board Chair); John P. Bania; Donna Baumgartner; Elizabeth Brenner; Héctor Colón; Karen Ellenbecker; Jeff Fitzsimmons; Alexander P. Fraser (Immediate Past Board Chair); Carmen Haberman; Susan Haise; Katie Heil; Patti Keating Kahn (Board Chair); Tracey L. Klein (Past Board Chair); Michael G. Klein; Michael J. Koss Jr.; Alexander Lasry; Steve Laughlin (Past Board Chair); Emilia Layden; Michael R. Lovell; Joan Lubar; Marianne Lubar; Steve Mech; Mark Mone; Susan Mikulay; Kenneth W. Muth; Bob Pothier; John Ridley; Joseph A. Rock; Ramona Rogers-Windsor; Lacey Sadoff; Dave Stamm; Julia Taylor; John Utz; Kimberly Walker; Emeritus members: Tom Barrett; Jacqueline Strayer

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.