‘Breakfast and a Movie’ a New Hit for Hollywood Theater

Christmas is in the air, and Dormont's Hollywood Theater is celebrating with a special Dec. 23 showing of "White Christmas."

The movie will be the theater's next event for the Breakfast and a Movie program, a new item on the theater's schedule, and one that has taken off.

Friends of Hollywood Theater member Margaret Jackson said she and Heavenly Blumling, who organized the program, wanted to come up with a new way for local businesses to work together.

Now preparing for the fourth Breakfast and a Movie, they are confident they've found a hit, so to speak.

“We were just looking for an idea that would be nice for the community and nice for the theater, and also easy to do,” Jackson said. “I knew that the Oaks [Theater in Oakmont] was doing something like this, but the Oaks is way across town. You know Pittsburghers. We don’t like to cross rivers.”

Jackson said she first approached Sugar Café about getting involved, and was thrilled when owner Kelly James immediately agreed. She said the restaurant’s involvement took the event up a notch.

“They have been the best,” Jackson said. “They do such an elegant brunch. If the movie lends itself to a certain kind of food, like a southern theme for when we did ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ they work that into the menu.”

Breakfast typically includes a variety of juices and coffee, muffins, scones, mini quiches and small wrap sandwiches. Guests can eat at seating areas in the lobby, or enjoy breakfast in the theater, where cartoons or other short films are shown before the main feature.

The event has grown as more local businesses have gotten involved. Eljay’s Used Books donates a door prize and gift certificates to the store to be raffled off at each event. Trader Joe’s is donating drinks to Breakfast and a Movie this month.

“This has worked out really well,” Jackson said. “This is really a wonderful collaboration of three small, independent businesses working together to make a really nice event.”

Breakfast and a Movie normally is scheduled for the third Sunday of every month, but this month's movie will be Dec. 23 since it is planned as a Christmas event.

“I’m really excited about this. It’s turned into a good thing,” Jackson said. “We just have the greatest audiences and they just love coming. It’s so great to do programming like this.”

Tickets for Breakfast and a Movie are available at Hollywood Theater, or on Showclix. Tickets are $15 for the event and must be purchased in advance, or $7 for the movie only. Movie-only tickets can be bought at the door.

Upcoming Breakfast and a Movie events are:

• Dec. 23: "White Christmas" (1954) at 11 a.m.
• Jan. 20: "Arsenic and Old Lace" (1944)
• Feb. 17: "The Maltese Falcon" (1941)
• March 17: "The African Queen" (1951)

More information is available on the Hollywood Theater website.

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