Chris Aquino and Mary Dearhamer review plans for the Silco Theater Concession, the Silco Confectionary. (Courtesy Photo)

Chris Aquino has been selected to operate the Silco Theater located at 311 N. Bullard Street in Silver City. Aquino brings extensive experience to the position. He comments, GǣI first walked into a cinema when I was about five years old. My mother, an avid film buff, took me to Disney's Peter Pan. From that point on I have viewed the cinema with a childlike wonder.Gǥ With the operation of the Silco Theater, Aquino hopes to spark the appreciation for cinema that lies within all of us.

Aquino was a manager at the Real West Cinema in Silver City, where he ran the projection room, kept track of inventory, ordered marketing materials and procured films for screenings. He worked at the Century Rio 24 in Albuquerque as a projectionist. In addition he was active in the Western New Mexico University Film Society and facilitated several film classes for the Western Institute of Lifelong Learning.

Attending a movie at the Silco Theater will be a cinema experience that we can all enjoy. Aquino likes the theater auditorium and says that there is not a bad seat in the house. He adds that the seating is comfortable and that we will have a real movie theater when the theater is open. He will need about two weeks after the construction contractor obtains an occupancy permit for the theater to train staff and order films before we can see our first movie to be shown at the Silco Theater since 2013. The completely renovated Silco Theater will provide a completely different cinema experience from what we experienced prior to the theater closing for renovations.

Aquino plans to have a variety of programming with up to twenty-three film screenings a week. He will show a variety of Hollywood and independent films. He would also like to work with events such as the Blues Festival, Tour of the Gila and Clay Festival to show films while the events are going on that will be of interest to the event participants. He also intends to evaluate the interest in Spanish Language Films and Classic Silent Movies. When the Silco Theater opened in 1923 only Silent Movies were shown. Piano music was played to accompany the movies.

Ward Rudick, grandson of theater operator, Eddie Ward, facilitated the return of the piano to the Silco Theater. Patrick Conlin asked Rudick to take a look at the piano in a home that he planned to list for sale. When talking to the owner of the piano, Rudick realized that the piano had come from the Silco Theater. The owner had been an usher at the Silco Theater in the 1950s and she confirmed that the piano had come from the Silco Theater and it was moved back to the Silco Theater. The piano needs some restoration work and hopefully in the future will once again be used to play the musical scores that accompany Silent Movies.

When the Silco Theater is operating there will be an interactive web site where you will be able to preview the movies being shown and purchase tickets in advance. Tickets will also be sold prior to screenings at the newly added Gǣbox office." You will be able to purchase soda, popcorn and other goodies at the concession area, GǣThe Silco Confectionary,Gǥ and experience watching a movie in the intimate and comfortable setting of the renovated Silco Theater.

For additional information, contact Silver City MainStreet at 575-534-1700.