Across the world thanks to coronavirus, movie theaters are closed. From megaplexes to local single-screen independent theaters, the lights are off and the doors are shut. But the marquees are still visible and all over, theater owners and employees are using their marquees to spread important information, make people smile, and maybe even bring us a bit of hope while we wait for the cinemas to open again.
One such theater is very close to my own home, here in Oregon. The Lake Theater is a home for great independent film, but they’re using the marquee now to recommend it, instead of advertise it.
Love this local theatre, which is using its marquee to comment on movies it’s not showing pic.twitter.com/U2X3xWlyTf
— Esther “STAY HOME” Choo, MD MPH (@choo_ek) May 5, 2020
The other side of the marquee …🤣 😭This kind of grace and good humor in terrible times slays me. I sure hope this place stays in business. pic.twitter.com/vG7PwTdp3W
— Esther “STAY HOME” Choo, MD MPH (@choo_ek) May 5, 2020
This is actually the second iteration of the marquee at the Lake Theater. The previous version also made me smile every time I drove by.
That’s my hometown theatre, in Lake Oswego, Oregon! This was their marquee before they changed it to the one you posted. (The other side was a sad face.) We love this theatre, their lakeside back deck, and their food is great too! pic.twitter.com/sJ78KHDbyZ
— Melissa (@MelissaRedMG) May 5, 2020
But that’s just the start of theaters having fun on their marquees. Sometimes to be funny, sometimes to be sad.
The Los Feliz 3 and Vista Theaters in Los Angeles pic.twitter.com/FLXWiyFDsC
— Jimmy Blackmon (@jimmyblackmon) May 5, 2020
My local movie theatres signs pic.twitter.com/VVCHdvKZ2S
— lenaluthorqueenofthenight (@lenalutherquee1) May 5, 2020
My local movie theatres signs pic.twitter.com/VVCHdvKZ2S
— lenaluthorqueenofthenight (@lenalutherquee1) May 5, 2020
Some even got in on the May the Fourth celebrations.
The marquee from my friendly local neighbourhood movie theater a couple of weeks ago #MayThe4thBeWithYou pic.twitter.com/AHeGDV9nZ0
— Allan Corridor (@Allan_Corridor) May 4, 2020
This is a great quote as long as you forget what happened to the guy that said it ...
Marquee motivation - #StayHome pic.twitter.com/ocm2aWSYfL
— Carolyn McDaniel (@candemcd) May 3, 2020
This theater has a whole series worth checking out on their Instagram.
And finally, this local theater keeping it simple.
The Lyric Theater here in Blacksburg is closed and does NOT want you to come a-knockin pic.twitter.com/2ChHNpmZQE
— Derek Hennen, Ph.D. (@derekhennen) March 25, 2020
Is there a theater in your area that's been using the marquee for some fun? In the meantime, go watch Portrait of a Lady on Fire.
(image: Mario Tama/Getty Images)
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