Small Kansas towns seeing movie theater revival

Small communities across Kansas are sparking a revival in movie theaters as a way to bring locals together and provide alternatives to driving long distances to see the latest flick.

The Wichita Eagle reports Marci Penner, director of the Kansas Sampler Foundation, estimates there are more than 30 theaters open in small towns across the state. They have popped up in places like Larned, Tribune, Marysville and St. Francis, bucking a trend that started decades ago as bigger, multiplex theaters opened up in larger cities.

The president of the Larned State Theater’s board of directors says civic leaders started discussing ways to reopen the theater after it closed in the mid-90s partly to keep local youth from having to drive to other cities to see a show.