Movie theatres and social distancing are rarely used in the same sentence. But Patrick Schweiss and his staff are hoping to prove that the two can coexist.
Like most businesses in Sedona, the Mary D. Fisher Theatre closed its doors nearly three months ago during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. And while the theater was able to provide its members films that could be downloaded and viewed, the experience for most isn’t quite the same.
“Most of our membership — probably 80% to 90% — all said they were ready to come back,” said Schweiss, the executive director of the Sedona International Film Festival, which oversees the operations of the theater.
Friday, June 12, is the day the theatre will again open its doors to the public.
In order to protect moviegoers and staff, the theatre is implementing several safety measures. These include the installation of air scrubbers as well as ultraviolet wands that will be used by staff to sanitize the seats, doors and counters.
In addition, masks will be worn by staff and volunteers and be requested of patrons when going to and from their seats. And, temperature checks will be conducted every shift for staff. Those looking to buy goods from the concession will be able to do so ahead of time to avoid congregating in the lobby.
As the theatre prepares to reopen, staff and volunteers have been brought in to be updated on the new protocols and the use of the wands.
The most obvious difference when entering the 112-seat theatre will be the new clearly-marked seating plan, which will allow for a maximum of 33 patrons in order to adhere to social distancing guidelines. This number will increase when allowed by Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey. The governor said that movie theatres were allowed to reopen on May 16 with proper guidelines, but with the filmmaking industry on hold, many of the big movie chains have said they will wait until later in summer when more blockbusters are released.
“Rest assured, we will have the cleanest facility in all of Sedona and probably Northern Arizona with all the precautions we’re taking,” Schweiss said. “They can be comfortable knowing they are coming to a clean, germ-free place. But we want them to come back when they are comfortable in doing so. We know this will be a personal decision.”
Schweiss pointed out that the reduced seating capacity won’t be much different than normal. With the exception of the more popular films, most draw an average of 44 patrons per showing.
“It’s a funny thing to wrap your head around. In the past you go, ‘gosh there are only 33 people for this movie and it doesn’t seem like it’s much of a success.’ Now, 33 people for us will be a sellout,” he said, laughing.
Schweiss said they have done a five-month budget based upon these occupancy numbers. He stressed that the staff, which has remained on the payroll during the closure thanks to donations and the board, will not decrease in the upcoming months but some paid employees may take on slightly different roles for the time being.
Schweiss has received dozens of emails during the theatre’s closure from patrons and members who, while disappointed they couldn’t watch films in person, have appreciated watching some of them at home.
“The feedback we’ve received is what’s kept us going,” he said. “Reba Stone, our volunteer coordinator, said it best in that during this closure we have realized that we are much more than a movie theater to people — we’re a social gathering place. We have had so many people tell us that not only have they missed the movies but have missed seeing us and having that social interaction with the other patrons. It’s been a humbling experience for us as to what we mean to this community.”
