SYDNEY, N.S. — A Sydney entertainment facility is offering a unique movie night for family bubbles.
Beginning June 10, the Highland Arts Theatre in Sydney will open its doors to a maximum of 10 people, from the same family bubble, to sit-in an enjoy their favourite movie.
“It’s the kind of thing that is completely unique to our situation,” said Wesley Colford, the theatre’s artistic and executive director.
“Under ordinary circumstances, this sort of exclusivity would never make sense financially, but these are unusual times and we are committed to being as creative as necessary while observing public health guidelines,” he said.
Colford said the theatre event has been approved by provincial health officials as the province continues to remain under emergency measures imposed March 22 to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
Among the health directives implemented across the province is a ban on gatherings of larger than five people and a social distancing requirement to keep two metres (six feet) distance between individuals.
The province has also recently announced permitted interaction in what’s known as family bubbles.
According to provincial health officials, one household can combine with another household to create a family bubble. If an individual is not able to bubble with family, they can decide who will be in their bubble. The bubble lets both households spend time together without social distancing.
Both households must agree to combine households and can only bubble with each other. This means that both households can only have in-person contact with the people in their family household bubble.
“We’ve got a game plan so that everything is immaculately presented. Everything will be organized and paid for in advance so that on your night all you have to do is walk in, wash your hands, and get ready to enjoy the show,” said Colford.
The event costs $150. Those attending will have the entire theatre to themselves and everyone in the group will receive popcorn and a drink of their choice. Additional snacks and alcohol are available for pre-order. Staff will wear masks and remain at least six feet away and guests will be required to wash their hands thoroughly upon entry.
Colford said that while live performances will continue to be a challenge, films are a great way to bridge the gap and generate some much-needed revenue.
He said participants will be asked to select a film and hopefully it will be something the HAT’s distributor can supply.
“Who doesn’t have a favourite movie they want to see on the big screen? Obviously, we’ve all been isolated at home and watching a lot of Netflix, but this is an opportunity to have a one-of-a-kind experience and the luxury of an entire private theatre,” said Colford.
He said the event is ideal for households, two families who have bubbled together, or even couples to celebrate an anniversary or something to do on date night.
Only 12 private showings are currently on sale but Colford said that number may extend if the experiment proves successful.
The box office is still closed but private screenings can be booked now at the HAT’s website: www.highlandartstheatre.com. Questions can be sent to the HAT at [email protected] or to arrange a booking or pay with e-transfer.
“The most important thing is that we’re all safe and going forward, we won’t be doing anything until we can be completely confident in the safety of our staff, artists, and all of you. In the meantime, take advantage of this opportunity while you can! It’s likely to be once in a lifetime,” he said.
