NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Jessica Shively
207-367-2788 ex13
jessica@operahousearts.org

DATE: February 24, 2025
TITLE: Travel to a Galaxy Far, Far Away with Opera House Arts During a Free Screening of Star Wars

Stonington, ME—In celebration of the launch of Christie 2.0, Opera House Arts’ new film projector, we are pleased to offer a free movie pop-up event featuring the 1977 George Lucas Film “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope” on Saturday, March 1 at 6pm. Young and veteran movie-goers are welcome to come see this film on the big screen for what may be their first time since its release in 1977 or for the first time ever! 

We invite everyone to be transported to “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away” with our newly upgraded laser projector, delivering sharper, more vibrant visuals than ever before. We are also excited to be launching a radically updated sound system, now featuring 7.1 surround sound and brand-new center left and right speakers. On March 1 John Williams’ legendary score will be as powerful as it was when it first hit the silver screen 48 years ago. 

This event will mark an exciting new opening of the theatre after being dark during the month of February for renovations. We are pleased to offer this opportunity to the community in our continuing tradition of making a positive difference in the quality of the lives of people who live on and visit Deer Isle by connecting audiences with the performing arts and cultivating an appreciation for stories about the human experience.

Opera House Arts’ Executive Director Erika Sanger remembers seeing the film for the first time in the summer of 1977 in an historic but unrenovated theater in the town of Hancock, NY (population 2,600) where the sound of the air conditioner fans almost drowned out the sound of the light sabers. “The classic story of a hero’s journey around which the film was constructed resonates with me to this day” said Sanger “and although I will admit to not keeping up with all of the episodes, I will never forget what it was like to sit in a dark theater with a group of friends and have the power of light and sound carry us to another place and time.” 

The Stonington Opera House is a historic center of culture and entertainment, a performance space, and a civic gathering place. Our work is rooted in the belief that access to and participation in the arts transforms lives. 

The Stonington Opera House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991 and in 1999, it was rescued by the founders of Opera House Arts, a 501 (c) 3, that was established specifically to restore this historic building to its original purpose.

A cornerstone of a year-round, vibrant Main Street located at the top of the busiest commercial fishing pier in Maine, the Stonington Opera House is an economic engine for the creative economy of Deer Isle.

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