Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I rent out the theatre and/or the Arts Centre?

A: Please use the "Venue Rentals" link above to download the rental application for both or one venue. Fill it out and return it to us.

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Q: Can we rent the theatre to show our own private movie?

A: Of course. We can accommodate that kind of request.

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Q: How often does the Arts Council meet to discuss rentals or requests? Can I come to the meeting to discuss my event or request?

A: The Arts Council board meets once a month to discuss requests and rentals. Please use the contact us link above to request to attend a meeting, to propose an event or to discuss a request. The Arts Council generally takes these discussions at the top of the meeting.

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Q: How old do I have to be to volunteer at the theatre?

A: You must be 16 or older to volunteer and 18 or older to make popcorn or project a movie. If you volunteer, you will be able to see the movie for free plus get a free drink and popcorn. (Popcorn cannot be substituted for candy at this time and anyone accompanying the volunteer, that does not work in a position, will need a paid ticket to see the movie. Children Included)

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Q: How do I know what movies will be playing? Is there a list somewhere?

A: For all upcoming movies and events, we advertise in numerous ways. Please like us on Facebook as we primarily use that media as a form of advertising. We post events on the marquee of the theatre and on our highway sign right next to the Augusta Municipal Airport. On select occasions, we also use digital billboards to advertise upcoming events. Usually these billboards are between Augusta and nearby Wichita. Finally we post upcoming movies and events on our website and we also have an event line that you can call. 316-775-3661.

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Q: Aside from movies, what else is shown at the theatre?

A: While movies are our primary, we also have select events that are planned and scheduled. Annual events include Trick or Treat Street and the Bisagno Christmas Movie, both events free to anyone who wants to participate. Other events include Bugs Bunny Club, Rocky Horror Picture Show, and certain groups rent the theatre out for their specific event. We are currently scheduling more non-movie events like concerts to perform as well. If you would like to see a particular band, please have them contact us at the Contact Us link above or email us at augustaarts523@gmail.com. 

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Q: Why can't you show new release movies? How come some theatres can show a new release but the Augusta Theatre cannot?

A: We get this question a lot. We can and have shown them. We do have to weigh the availability of already scheduled activities and whether we will have a good showing. The more people that come to our new releases, the more we can have. Typically the fee for any movie (despite the age) is in the $250 - $350 range. This is per booking, rather than per showing. The box office must pay anywhere from 35% - 80% on most movies or whichever is greater, the booking fee or the percentage. Unfortunately, these are the restrictions for theatres our size when it comes to motion pictures. Once we request to book the movie, depending on popularity of the movie we are asking for, we may be required by the movie house to show the movie for 2 weekends in a row. This decision is hard to make as generally the 2nd weekend is not as popular as the 1st weekend, but that is what is required. Each time a movie is shown, whether for 3 patrons or 500+ patrons, it has a price (mentioned above). So you can see that if we show it for 5 patrons, the ticket sales do not cover the cost to even show it. Unfortunately, sometimes we commit to showing the movie and our attendance is really low.

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Q: Can you show older, non-new release movies?

A: Of course. We just need to schedule it through our booking agent to make sure the movie is available in the format for our projector. For a private event, you can supply a DVD of the movie of choice and we can play that as well. Unfortunately, even though a movie may be on a DVD from the store, we cannot necessarily play it for a large audiences. There is a booking and royalty fee that goes into showing it for a large crowd. That is why we go through our booking agent to make arrangements to show older movies.

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Q: Do you have the ability to show any movie?

A: Unfortunately no. We are restricted in some forms. For example, movies only released on streaming services are generally not allowed or made in a format for a projector to show. We cannot stream movies to our projector due to license restrictions from publishers like Disney. Movies made specifically for TV (like Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving) are not allowed to be shown in our theatre. DVD movies are good to be shown privately but need additional licensing to be shown to a larger audience.

 

Disney movies (like Pirates of the Caribbean series or the newly released live action movies) have more restrictions. For example, if we agree to show newer released Disney movies, then per their licensing, we won't be allowed to show anything older that was created by Disney, putting us at a large disadvantage.

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Q: What about Theatre groups like Childrens Theatre and full on theatrical Performances?

A: While we welcome entertaining the idea of these kinds of acts on our stage, one of the key disadvantages is...our stage. We do not have dressing rooms, an orchestra pit, or any standing room on the left or right side of the stage to host any kind of acting performance. Certain types of acting performances may be able to work, but for a full on musical or full length play with large cast lists, the stage could be a great hindrance. We will welcome the ideas of doing orchestra or band concerts that don't require room in the wings. Another disadvantage currently is the rigging we have. The rigging (Curtains, flying battens, etc) are outdated and are no longer safe to use for flying away flats, stage props, curtains, etc. One goal is to replace the rigging so this can be done in the future. Aside from that, each year, we DO book a traveling Childrens Theatre group that perform for the school kids at the theatre. Keep checking our posted events for the next Childrens Theatre group booking.

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Q: Your screen appears to be either damaged or outdated. Can that be replaced?

A: Yes, we have investigated options to either repair the screen, replace the screen, or have it repainted and re-stretched. Each option has a cost associated with it and finding the right resources to complete these replacements/repairs are getting harder and harder to find. But that is also a goal of ours to bring a better movie experience to our patrons. 

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Q: How can we help improve the theatre for our next generation?

A: Please spread the word when you see our posts about movies and any event that the theatre puts on. The more patrons we have, the more financial impact we can make to improve the theatre. The more events we can present to Augusta, the more interest and foot traffic we get to the theatre in hopes to spring more interest. Volunteering to help with our events helps tremendously as well. Of course, donating to the theatre helps bring more programming and more opportunity to use the theatre for many other events. We are always looking for more suggestions for programming and events.

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Q: Can we get a more in-depth look at the stage and setup of the theatre for a possible event?

A: Absolutely. Please contact us using the link above so we can schedule a time with you to show you our stage and theatre to see if it will work for your event.

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Q: How can someone sponsor an event/movie at the theatre?

A: Please contact us with your ideas at the Contact Us link above and someone will get back with you to discuss the specifics of your request.