"This is a special milestone for one of our most iconic historic landmarks in Oswego," said Justin Whit e, president of the OCHS board of trustees. "The unique Oswego Theatre is a place of which many Oswegonians have nostalgic memories."
Many interesting details have been added to make this a special event in Oswego's historic cinema. The evening show will be giving the feel of traveling back in time to the 1 940s.
"C asblanca" premiered at the Hollywood Theatre in New York City on November 2 6,1942. It was first shown in the Oswego Theatre in February of 1943, when it was released nationally. The movie tickets have been designed by Oswego Printing to emulate movie tickets that would have been used in the 1940s er a. "Casablanca" is considered one of the most beloved romance dramas ever m ade in cinema history. It won the Academy Award for Best Motion Picture in 1943.
"T here is certainly something special about seeing a timeless film on the big screen," said White. "It is a completely different experience than seeing one on television. This will be an amazing opportunity to feel what is was like to be in the a brand new high-style theatre in small town Oswego in th e year 1941"
The movie will be shown in the main auditorium of the historic Oswego Theatre. The theatre was designed by prolific international theatre archite ct John Eberson in the Art Deco style of architecture. It opened to the pub lic in January of 1941. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.
"The historic Oswego Theatre is the perfect place to feature a clas sic movie,'" said OCHS board trustee Lyn Patterson."It is a great example o f Art Deco architecture and will be a perfect backdrop for this event.The t icket donation will help us support the ongoing maintenance and necessary p reservation needs of the society's museum."
Tickets are a donation of $20.00 per pe rson and are available at the Oswego Theatre at 138 East Second Street and River's End Bookstore at 19 West Bridge Street. Since the tickets were desi gned in keeping with the style from the 1949s they will make a great souven ir. A special program will feature history of the theatre and the movie.
The OCHS i s a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the rich history of the county. The society maintains and operates the Rich ardson-Bates House Museum, a historic landmark listed on the National Regis ter of Historic Places.
The m useum is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 1 – 5 p.m. and other days by appointment. For more information call during regular hours at 343-1342.