The Grandin Theatre in Roanoke has been showing movies to packed houses â or at least, houses packed as much as state restrictions on audience size permit while the pandemic continues.
In June, as the Grandin reopened to moviegoers, âWe were at the beginning of shifting to a new model that was safety-first, limited engagement, and socially distanced, all the COVID-related stuff. We didnât know if it was going to be successful,â said Grandin Theatre Foundation Executive Director Ian Fortier.
So far, so good.
Fortier emphasized that the theater, which is run as a nonprofit foundation, still needs all the donations it can get. Also, like other Roanoke Valley arts organizations faced with pandemic-related revenue loss, the Grandin has had to drastically reduce its staff, from 23 employees to five.