New Families Have Fun with Old Fan Film Favorites at the Glove
For a person who isn’t into NFL football or likes winter, January and February can be long months in upstate New York.
The Glove Theatre has been alleviating some of that Cabin Fever with free movies on
Wednesdays, as well as a family feature on Sundays that is co-sponsored by the Gloversville Recreation Commission. The most recent was 1982’s “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.”
As a child of the ‘80s that grew up loving Reese’s Pieces, muttering “Phone Hooome” and knowing Henry Thomas had more of an acting career than starring in current Netflix series such as “The Haunting of Hill House,” it was a treat to watch the Steven Spielberg directed flick on the big screen once again.
Entering the building, the smell of freshly made popcorn filled the air. The concession stand was busy selling goodies, including an array of Reese’s treats, and sweets from nearby Mohawk Harvest. When Michael Maricondi, General Manager of the Glove introduced the film, he asked how many were new to coming to the Glove. Half the audience raised their hands.
This movie is not the only event the historic theatre offers as it also is the setting for live and filmic performances, community events, dance parties, educational opportunities, and more. Just last month, the Glove hosted the Caroga Arts Ensemble for a special performance of the Tchaikovsky Holiday Spectacular.
According to Maricondi in a recent correspondence, the Glove Theatre was established in 1914 and served on the Schinke Family Circuit for Vaudeville and early cinema. It transitioned into being a movie house until the 1970s. Following a series of structural neglect, the theatre was saved from demolition in 1995 by a volunteer Board of Directors and has served as a community theatre and performing arts venue. In recent years, it has hosted a world-premiere children’s musical, Kampfire Stories, weekly free movie series, monthly variety shows, concerts, plays and musicals, dance parties and more.
I shared this experience with my tween who enjoys “Stranger Things”, and we had a blast seeing where the Netflix show got some of its ideas and throwbacks to ‘80s fashion from the film. It was equally as nice seeing families on Sunday sharing a similar special moment watching a movie at the Glove.
This coming Wednesday (Feb. 1) at the Glove is the showing of “Everything, Everywhere All at Once” at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday’s (Feb. 5) feature is “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.”
Stay. Play. Explore. Live.