GREENFIELD — To the surprise of the city officials, leaders of local organizations and faithful patrons who gathered in the foyer of the Garden Cinemas on Saturday, Spiderman broke through a conspicuously hidden door, leading to what will soon become an event space for birthday parties and movie discussions.
Meanwhile, Angela Mass, co-owner of the theater on Main Street, took a moment to thank those who came to the unveiling of “The Bored Room,” which, come October, will have as many as 10 new movie-themed video arcade games, tables and a lounge space for moviegoers.
“This cinema is our home,” she said. “We want our theater to be successful not just for us, but for our town.”
The Bored Room, which also has access from Main Street, is currently under construction, according to co-owner Isaac Mass, with a planned grand opening to take place on Oct. 7. He said while not all furniture has been ordered, he has already bought roughly $20,000 worth of video arcade games. The cinema’s existing games will be moved into the new room, he noted.
“Often we can’t do as much robust programming as we’d like,” Isaac Mass commented. “This will give us a little more flexibility.”
The Masses pointed to “Sound of Metal,” a 2019 movie directed and written by two Pioneer Valley natives — brothers Darius and Abraham Marder, of Ashfield and Amherst — as something that could have provided an opportunity for a movie discussion, if the space had been available. More recently, an independent movie director screened a movie for free at the theater. With a space like The Bored Room, the filmmaker could have hosted a movie discussion afterward.
The unveiling on Saturday happened in conjunction with National Cinema Day, marked by $3 movie tickets and an extra push to bring people to the theaters. It also comes in advance of Cinema Week, which will be celebrated this year from Oct. 7-14.
What was designed as a day to celebrate cinema and the theater’s upcoming events — in particular, those scheduled for Cinema Week — became a celebration of two successful business owners and their continual effort to create and maintain community partnerships. Many in attendance on Saturday also spoke to the Garden Cinemas’ importance as a local landmark.
“Everything that goes on is a real community effort,” commented At-Large City Councilor Penny Rickets.
Speaking as chair of the Crossroads Cultural District Committee, Caitlin von Schmidt said she didn’t know what the cultural district would do without the theater.
“Since you bought the Garden, I have been impressed with your inventiveness,” she told the Masses.
Greenfield Business Association’s President Mik Muller, echoing the support of others, commended the Masses for the efforts they have put into improving the theater and doing so through meaningful community partnerships. He noted that the Masses bought the business in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s a testament to their courage and tenacity … but also to how important they think community theater is,” Muller said.
National Cinema Day isn’t just a day about celebrating theater with discounted ticket prices, he added.
“Today is a day for us to celebrate Isaac and Angela’s successes,” Muller said.
Responding to the outpouring of support from guests at Saturday’s ceremony, Angela Mass said the community has always been “at the heart of what we do.”
“Partnering is not a big leap for us,” she said. “We want others to be successful, too.”
Reporter Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne.