Long Center celebrates a century by offering a film from each decade

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Long Center for Performing Arts will be hosting a new film series starting this Friday with a showing of "Back to the Future" at 7:30 p.m.

While a handful of movies have been shown in the historic Mars Theatre since the mid 1980s, a full-fledged schedule of movies has been announced by the Long Center that will play at least one movie every weekend until March 12 in celebration of the theater's centennial birthday.

"We celebrated our 100th anniversary and we are trying to do that all year round," John Hughey, executive director for the Long Center said. "...April 19, 1921, is when we opened. So on the 19th of 2021 we announced we were going to do a year-long celebration."

The Long Center originally opened as vaudeville theater but quickly became a movie theater. Throughout the years, the center became more of a performing arts theater. But nods to the center's rich history are still included in its modern performances, such as with this new movie series.

This "100 Years of Film" series will feature one movie selection representing each decade from the theater's history. The movie screen schedule is as follows:

• Friday, Jan. 21 (7:30 p.m.): “Back to the Future” (PG – 1985) starring Michael J. Fox, directed by Robert Zemeckis.

• Saturday, Jan. 22 (2 p.m.): “Black Panther” (PG-13 – 2018) starring Chadwick Boseman, directed by Ryan Coogler.

• Saturday, Jan. 22 (5:30 p.m.): “Grease” (PG – 1978) starring Olivia Newton John, directed by Randal Kleiser.

• Friday, Feb. 4 (7:30 p.m.): “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” (PG – 2001) starring Daniel Radcliffe, directed by Chris Columbus.

• Saturday, Feb. 5 (2 p.m.): “It Happened One Night” (Not rated – 1934) starring Clark Gable, directed by Frank Capra.

• Saturday, Feb. 5 (5:30 p.m.): “Singin’ in the Rain” (G – 1952) starring and directed by Gene Kelly.

• Friday, March 11 (7:30 p.m.): “Casablanca” (PG – 1942) starring Ingrid Bergman, directed by Michael Curtiz.

• Saturday, March 12 (2 p.m.): “The Iron Giant” (PG – 1999) animated feature directed by Brad Bird.

• Saturday, March 12 (5:30 p.m.): “Mary Poppins” (G – 1964) starring Julie Andrews, produced by Walt Disney.

Guests are also invited to wear costumes inspired by the respective movies they are seeing, or to dress in "retro fashion" from one's favorite movie decade. Additionally, the Mighty Wurlitzer theater pipe organ will be playing prior to each movie screenings for guests to enjoy.

While tickets will be available at the box office, patrons are encouraged to buy them ahead of time at www.longpac.org. Single tickets are $8 each. No outside food or drinks can be brought into the theater, but concessions will be available to purchase.

Margaret Christopherson is a reporter for the Journal & Courier. Email her at mtroup@jconline.com and follow her on Twitter @MargaretJC2

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Long Center celebrates a century by offering a film from each decade