Places where films are shown outside of conventional theater spaces
One thing has become clear to me while researching the Sunset Drive-in Theater, and that is how important community was. A common theme popping up with this theater is the collaboration between the entertainment venue and other local businesses or community engagement opportunities.
From the research I have done so far for the Oregon Theater Project, I have noticed a pattern: drive-ins in Oregon were most successful in rural and suburban areas rather than in the hearts of big cities like Portland. These smaller areas offered vast, affordable acreage necessary to support the popularity of cars during the 1950s (mid-century), allowing theaters to act as hubs for families outside the urban center.
The Portland Playhouse is a nonprofit theatre company created by Nikki and Brian (last names unknown) in 2008/2009. They both shared a deep passion for theatre, which led them to buy an old Church in the King Neighborhood. This theatre stands out against other non-commercial theatres because of its use of its platform. Their mission statements, which can be found throughout their website, is to work to be radically inclusive on and off stage. They prioritize the needs of their community and use various events to help create a safe place free of discrimination and oppressive mannerisms.
The Morning Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, ran this news item in 1904 about the calming effects of the movies on people suffering from mental illness.
Pathé Pictures was a production and distribution company that played films in theaters across Oregon between 1912 and 1917. Indeed, most of Pathé’s business revolved around circulating their reels from theater to theater and city to city via regional film exchanges.
In The Oregon Daily Journa
Oaks Amusement Park, located on the Willamette River and near the present-day Sellwood Bridge, opened its gates for the first time on June 1st of 1905. The amusement park was a huge family place of amusement for their rides, live music, roller arena, picnicking and many other activities.