Local landmark worth paying attention to

Jayal Chung

Come one, come all! You should know, Paramount Theatre is screening some great movies of all ages and genres, including The Princess Bride, Kill Bill, The Outsiders, Dirty Dancing, and The Shining to name a few. For the price of $3.50, relax, be nostalgic, bring your friends, and bring your parents. Not only is this old and gorgeous theatre screening films, it’s a space for workshops, live theatre and performing arts, and much more.

This is a ‘revival’ for the Paramount Theatre, which opened back on December 27^th, 1948. The theatre is located on the corner, 24 Court Street South; the theatre shares space with Wiggles ‘N Giggles.

So far, I’ve attended two spectacular performances at the Paramount. The first was a musical ­­– Bounce Productions’ kaleidoscopic, energetic Joseph and The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. When each brother was introduced in “Jacob and Sons,” characters hopped off the black wooden stage, and playfully engaged the audience. By the end of the first act, suspense and thrill pervaded the dancing, running, and jumping of “Go, Go, Go Joseph.”

My second experience at the Paramount was Spencer Hari’s, The Spence Show, who has a unique, yet archetypal Broadway voice.

Hari, a Confederation College film graduate, and a number of his friends put on quite the show this August at the Paramount. Both live performances included local singers, actors, and the infamous band, Amelia.

In October, The Outsiders –based on S.E. Hinton’s book I read in eighth grade – will be screened as part of the Patrick Swayze Tribute Night.

The Paramount Theatre is firmly rooted in the Port Arthur district. To follow events, and keep up on the theatre’s revival, check out the Facebook page and the website http://paramountheatre.ca.