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©Alexandria Skowronski / Ohio University
The Athena Cinema is proud to announce the re-opening of two of its theaters just in time for an expanded slate of fall programming.
Theater One, which recently re-opened alongside the upstairs Bradley Theater following partial closures to conduct necessary structural renovations, premiered “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” just in time for fall semester. The re-opening was met with massive enthusiasm and crowds.
Additionally, The Athena is poised to host other events for the local community as its spaces re-open.
The Athena also used the closure period to update the technology in several of the theaters including a laser projection system and to further develop a diverse and deep catalog of programming that serves the Athens and greater southeastern Ohio community in new and exciting ways.
As of the beginning of September, The Athena brought back its 12th annual Sustainability Film Series, a documentary series shedding light on some of the most pressing issues of environmentalism. Paired with guest lectures from experts in the field, this series is critical to The Athena’s mission to provide diverse and challenging programming that provokes discussion about the issues that face us today.
The Athena has also worked hard to bring back its third annual Appalachian Stories Film Series , a series that seeks to help the local community foster deeper connections with the cultural legacies of the Appalachian area. The 2024 series will start on Sept. 19 with the film, “Hillbilly.”
“Hillbilly” calls into question the historical and moral questions that surround the titular term and uses the documentary style to portray Appalachian people and history in a more positive and realistic light. The film will be accompanied by a talk with Tom Hansell, the film’s field producer. This series shows a diverse catalog of films, all of which create an important dialogue about the history of Appalachia, how Appalachia and Appalachian people have been and are portrayed in media, and the legacies of Appalachian stories in southeastern Ohio and beyond.
Both the Sustainability and Appalachian Stories Film Series are free for the public.
Lastly, The Athena is continuing its partnership with the Met Opera for the 2024-2025 season, inviting the local community to watch live in HD Peabody and Emmy Award-winning performances broadcast from the Met. Sponsored by Arts for Ohio, the Ohio Arts Council, and the Performing Arts and Concert Series , this series is a unique experience where local community members can see an expanded and critical catalog of the most exciting performances in opera unavailable anywhere else in the area.
As the area’s premier arthouse theater, these re-openings will allow community members to experience an array of films that are sure to challenge, provoke, and entice. Tickets to all Athena Cinema screenings and events can be purchased in person or online at athenacinema.com.
The following is the lineup of films in each series:
Sustainability Film Series Screenings
- Sept. 25, 2024 – “Green Warriors: Children of Lead,” with Dr. Michele Morrone
- Oct. 9, 2024– “Food and Country,” with Dr. Sarah C. Davis
- Oct. 23, 2024– “Farming While Black,” with Tony Noble
- Nov. 6, 2024– “The Velvet Queen,” with Kristeena Blaser
- Nov. 20, 2024– “The Engine Inside,” with Jasmine Facun
From the Hills & Hollers: Appalachian Stories Film Series Screenings
- Sept. 19, 2024– “Hillbilly,” with Tom Hansell
- Oct. 24, 2024– “Silence of the Lambs,” with Dr. Tiffany Arnold
- Nov. 14, 2024– “Feast of the Seven Fishes,” with Josh Brooks
- Jan. 30, 2025– “Pottero + Reclaiming: Oral Histories of Sexual & Reproductive Wellness Traditions in Appalachian Ohio”
- March 6, 2025– “Heroin(e),” with Rebecca Robison-Miller
- April 17, 2025– “Norma Rae,” with Dr. Rachel Terman
The Met: Live in HD Series Screenings
- Oct. 5, 2024– Offenbach’s “Les Contes D’Hoffman”
- Oct. 19, 2024– Jeanine Tesori’s “Grounded”
- Nov. 23, 2024– Puccini’s “Tosca”
- Jan. 25, 2025 – Verdi’s “Aida”
- March 25, 2025 – Beethoven’s “Fidelio”
- April 26, 2025 – Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro”
- May 17, 2025 – Strauss’s “Salome”
- May 31, 2025 – Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di Siviglia”