Glinda, Elphaba fly in to Amherst Cinema for 'Wicked: For Good' screening

AMHERST — Elphaba and Glinda posed, smiling with families in the lobby of the Amherst Cinema ahead of the theater's showing of "Wicked: For Good" on Friday. Director of Operations Scott Jones estimated more than 160 people were expected to fill the cinema for the screening of the second movie in the "Wicked" franchise. "The cinema has just been a blessing in disguise," Jones said. "... From what I've been told, we haven't seen it this busy in a year — which is nice to see." The theme night on Friday saw the lobby decorated in pink and green balloons, streamers, a yellow brick road leading into the lobby from outside and the appearances from the movie's two main characters. Brittany Kunisch, of Amherst, and her daughters Arya, 10, and Audra, 6, waited in line for a seat in the 280-capacity theater. Arya dressed as Elphaba, donning a flowing black cape and black witch's hat for the evening's screening. "She's powerful and sticks up for what's right," Arya and her mom said of Elphaba, the 10-year-old's favorite character in the series — adding that she liked to dress up and got the costume from a friend's house. Kunisch said it was the first time her family had been to the downtown Amherst theater and enjoyed the decorations and meet-and-greet. Jones said the theater plans to bring more live performances, like stand-up comedy or poetry, as well as its movie runs, to the smaller stage. It will eventually tie in with owner Jeremy Watson's other brands like Doc Watson's Cafe with cafe options at the theater's concessions stand. Watson purchased the movie theater in October. "If our bread and butter is the children and families, then we need to adapt to that," Jones said of the theater under Watson's direction. "We want to make this like a Disney experience — when people come here, we want to make sure that even if the movie wasn't your favorite, you still leave with the lasting impression that the cinema was awesome." Jones also is the mayor of South Amherst. Watson, meanwhile, was elected to an Amherst Township trustee post Nov. 4. For more information on the cinema, including to purchase tickets, visit amherstcinema.com. Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.