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Speakeasy. Intrigue, mystery,
scheming. The word summons visions of illicit affairs, outrageous
merrymaking and devious exchanges. Or, from a historical perspective -
ingenuity, rebellion and
profit.
But what's that got to do with the Breckenridge
Speakeasy Movie Theatre? Nothing really. They could have called it
The Blind Pig, a slang for Speakeasy. And how would that look? A picture of a pink and
chubby pig in a blindfold?
In fact, Mike and Guy had little to do
with naming the Theatre. It was Phyllis who birthed the
idea in the Fall
of 1998. I don't know what Phyllis did by day,
but at night, she brought the basement of Colorado Mountain College to
life. Two years later circumstances demanded that she move on, and
Mike, a faithful regular, simply could not let the Speakeasy
die.
So he and a new partner took on the
challenging task of running a movie theatre. But still, it wasn't meant to
be. Mike's partner suffered a terrible ski accident, and although they
struggled along during his recovery, it was too much for both of them to
manage. Agreeably they went their separate ways and once
again Mike was left wondering if the beloved movie theatre would
fly.
But I believe in dreams. And apparently
Mike does too. Because after not too long a wait, along came Guy...an
Israeli native, a military paramedic and - most importantly - a passionate movie
buff.
| We met Guy at 4:30 in the
afternoon at the First Aid room on Peak 8 where he works as an EMT for
the ski area. He didn't get off until 5, but the
summers are generally slow on the mountain, so he agreed to talk to us here - his ear
alert to the chatter from the radio by his side.
Mike was
busy at the Daycare Center which he runs with his wife, Jennie. But at
5 o'clock, they each (and sometimes Jennie, too) would don new hats and hustle down the hill to the
Speakeasy to prepare for the evening show. |
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It was a beautiful mountain day - so we sat lazily outside in
the sun - I love this job - while Guy, his sense of humor tucked right
behind his enthusiasm, gave us a quick and easy lesson on how
to run a business on a shoestring. First: Get a day
job. Second: Listen to your audience and Third: Dream big and
move slowly.
We covered the day jobs. Next, showing just the right films is essential, so
selecting them is based on staying in touch with the current film releases,
studying reviews, but most importantly are those exchanges in the grocery
store. "Hey, Guy! or Mike! Did you hear about...?"
A movie theatre is not by nature a lucrative
business. But with thoughtful creativity, realistic planning, financial
wisdom and support from the right people...you've heard of Cannes, haven't
you? Talk about humble and obstacle-ridden beginnings. (Read the story here).
The Speakeasy is the only theatre in Breckenridge. Colorado
Mountain College has agreed to release their own theatre on certain nights for the Speakeasy, which is located on the lower
level of the college. It seats 155, ample space for a growing
business.
The tag line of the Speakeasy is "Avant-garde
movies with a personal touch!" Here's why.
A typical night at
the Speakeasy begins around 5:00 p.m. when Mike or Guy arrives and gets
the popcorn going, makes the tea (a popular addition to the snack bar),
assures the tickets are in order and the film is in the projector and
ready to roll.
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Sometime between 5:30 and 6:00,
movie-goers begin to arrive and buy their tickets and snacks.
While they wait for the movie to start, they can stroll around
the lobby and view the work of local artists. |
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The art gallery is
part of the Speakeasy and offers the community a way to
exhibit
various venues. The current exhibit is painting, but
others have
included sculpture and jewelry.
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The movie begins "promptly" when ticket sales slow and it appears
that all who are coming have arrived. Mike or Guy - whoever is free - then moves to the
projection room and begins the movie. When the movie is over, the
guests are greeted once again as they leave. Now that's personal.
The movies are mostly independent films, but just to
"spice it up", Guy says, they add popular or family-oriented flicks
sometimes. For example, Finding Nemo played on the 4th of July - in
between other more provocative films such as Riding Giants, Festival Express
and The Corporation.
Together these two young men have brought new
and progressive energy to the theatre. There is
no question they are excited about the possibilities for the
future. But they have no illusions about the reality of their
venture. They're in it for the long haul. But when you love the
movies...it's a no brainer. They're gonna be big (and this is not the
custard guy).
If you're visiting Breckenridge, a night at the Speakeasy is a
new and unusual experience that you probably don't get in your hometown.
It's easy to get to - just 3 blocks off Main Street at 103 South Harris between
Lincoln and Washington. For a nice map, current times and movies, you can check
their website.
Or just sign up for the weekly email listings.
As for me...I've gotta get some popcorn.
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