If you don’t follow the Al Whittle Theatre on Instagram, you are missing out. The lively historic cinema in the small town of Wolfville, Nova Scotia, is a true gem with a sparkling personality.
Owned and operated by the volunteer-run Acadia Cinema Cooperative, the cinema is named after its original manager, Al Whittle, who was the youngest theatre manager in Canada when he was first hired at age 19, and who brought movie magic to Wolfville for 47 years.
Today, the cinema shows a mix of film and live performances. They even have an annual short film competition and festival, Whitflix, which encourages locals of all ages to try their hand at filmmaking!
Tell us about Al Whittle Theatre:
Al Whittle Theatre is an independent cinema and performance venue in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. We are owned and operated by the volunteer-run Acadia Cinema Cooperative, established in 2002 in an effort to save our landmark heritage building from redevelopment.
Our theatre’s name actually comes from our original theatre manager, Al Whittle, who was the youngest theatre manager in Canada when he was first hired at age 19, and who proceeded to dedicate 47 years of his life to bringing movie magic to Wolfville! He is remembered very fondly by our little community.
(Yes, that’s Al Whittle himself!)
What makes Al Whittle Theatre unique?
We are the product of community need and reinvention. Our space was originally founded as an opera house, which then became the Orpheum Theatre, then Acadia Theatre, then Acadia Cinema, which then was refurbished to become Acadia Twin Cinemas, and eventually a triplex in 1997. In our current iteration, we’ve returned to operating as a single screen / stage space.
But perhaps one of the most unique things about us is that from 2002 – 2020 we primarily acted as a rental space for community performances and films. One renter in particular, the Fundy Film Society, programmed regular screenings between 2004-2020. It’s truly only after the COVID-19 pandemic that the ACC began presenting films ourselves. Our theatre manager, Mary Harwell, was tasked with learning how to present films, connect with distributors, and develop this new way of operating.
What sort of films do you show?
We primarily show independent and arthouse films, the films you won’t typically find at the local Cineplex! And, we’ve been expanding our offerings into more niche genres and retro screenings.
What are Al Whittle Theatre’s greatest challenges?
We exist in a small, rural community; consequently, that comes with a limited audience in a sense. We’re working to establish a reputation as a presenter of meaningful films that will spark conversation, awe, joy, community, that are culturally relevant – and that can’t be skipped. But not everyone in our community even knows we’re here right now – we’re trying to spread the word on social media and set up partnerships with local community groups.
What are your favourite compliments that Al Whittle Theatre receives from your audience?
We’ve been so grateful to hear from a lot of new and returning customers who are excited about our recent programming efforts. And we always love to hear from customers who have been coming to our location, literally for decades. We really started to get positive feedback when we installed a large monitor in the front window that scrolls through our upcoming events.
What’s a memorable film screening or event you hosted?
We host an annual short film competition and festival, Whitflix, in partnership with Ross Creek Centre for the Arts, that encourages people of all ages to try their hand at filmmaking. Everyone loves to see their projects on the big screen!
What are your most popular concession items?
We’ve just started experimenting with concessions. The big seller is always something themed for a retro screening (like gummy worms at Tremors or margaritas at Practical Magic). And the biggest request we’re getting is, of course, popcorn. Classic!
What projects are you considering for the future?
We have big plans to upgrade our equipment, increase accessibility, and expand our concessions. And we’re basically always trying new ways to engage our community as we come into our own here!
