To reel a 'Mockingbird': First 'Movie Night' at the Virginia is a sell-out

Feb. 17—The last time that "To Kill a Mockingbird" might have played in downtown Somerset would have been around 1962, when the Robert Mulligan-directed film based on Harper Lee's iconic novel was first released.

On Thursday, local audiences got to see it on the big screen at The Virginia once again.

The first "Movie Night" at the recently restored Virginia Theater took place Thursday night, and it was a box office blockbuster: All 180 available tickets for the showing of "To Kill a Mockingbird," hosted by local film enthusiast John Alexander, sold out.

"I thought it went really well," said Alexander on Friday of the event, the first in a series of classic films to be shown at the Virginia. "It was a really good crowd, a really receptive crowd. It was phenomenal being in that theater again after all these years."

Not exactly as many people were in attendance Thursday night as bought tickets — Alexander and City of Somerset Communications Director Julie Harris both guessed factors like rough weather might have kept some people away. "But it was still a good crowd for our opening night," said Alexander.

Though the Virginia is designed more as a live performance venue today instead of the movie house it was before the Virginia Cinema closed in the mid-1990s, there is still a capability of showing movies there on a large screen.

It was announced last fall the the Virginia would host a Classic Movie Night series, with the films hosted and selected by Alexander.

Before the film was screened, Alexander did a presentation about the history of the film and its significance, as well as the history of the Virginia itself. Surrounding him on the stage and in the lobby were pieces of memorabilia on loan from another local movie buff, Dr. Jonathan Moore. Alexander also talked about the AFI (American Film Institute) list of top 100 heroes from cinema — a list on which "Mockingbird" protagonist Atticus Finch came in at no. 1.

"I thought that was a neat aspect to bring out," said Alexander.

He added, "I appreciate everything the City of Somerset did to make this first of many classics a success."

Harris called it a "phenomenal night," and noted from the standpoint of the City of Somerset how pleasing it was to have a sell-out and such a strong crowd.

"I think maybe in the back of my mind, I thought that could happen, but that it happened so quickly was definitely a pleasant surprise," she said. "We're just thrilled to be able to bring that type of experience back to that venue."

The next film to be presented at The Virginia will be the John Wayne romance "The Quiet Man," directed by John Ford. This will be screened Thursday, March 23.

The enthusiasm that has been shown already has Alexander thinking that "the possibilities are limitless" about what can be done in the future, showing films at The Virginia.

"Looking at it moving forward, it went so well, I see this series going on for a long time," said Alexander. "'To Kill a Mockingbird' is a classic, and 'The Quiet Man' is a classic, but some of the ones we've got coming up, I think, will sell out even quicker. ... As long as people keep showing up for these classic films, there's certainly a market for that."