Save the Watson Theatre, a non-profit initiative is running a Kickstarter campaign soliciting monetary pledge donations to purchase and preserve the 70 year-old, single-screen movie theatre in Watsontown, Pennsylvania. With less than 300 single-screen movie theatres remaining in the United States, it is vital to small cities and towns across the country to preserve the legacy of the theatre as a cultural cornerstone of the community.
The Watson Theatre is located at 131 Main Street, Watsontown, Pennsylvania, a location that has been home to a theatre since 1912. The current Watson Theatre opened in 1940 and closed in September 2009. The Save the Watson Theatre project was launched by area native, Matthias Sundberg in February 2010 to raise funds to purchase the theatre and its equipment to establish The Watson Theatre Foundation, a non-profit community organization. Future projects include special programming such as a featured filmmaker series, midnight movies, and a local filmmaker showcase, as well as film festivals, and community film classes on history and technique.
However, the future of The Watson Theatre Foundation projects hinges on the purchase of The Watson Theatre. From February 15 – March 15, area residents, film professionals, amateur filmmakers, movie enthusiasts, architectural preservationists, and cultural advocates are encouraged to pledge donations on the Save the Watson Theatre Kickstarter page, show support and spread the word on the Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr pages.
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