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Since reopening in October, Boyertown’s historical State Theatre has hosted plays, concerts and other live entertainment.

On Friday the 105-year-old theater takes another major step toward revival: It will begin showing movies for the first time since it closed more than two years ago. The first movie will be “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales,” the fifth installment of the “Pirates” series.For generations of Boyertown-area residents who knew the State, at 61 N. Reading Ave., as a neighborhood movie house, the return of films marks a significant milestone in its comeback, which has involved extensive renovations and community support.

More variety

Whereas the State previously was as a venue known for screening second-run movies, the revived theater plans to show new releases, such as the new “Pirates of the Caribbean” film, along with classic and family movies.

Charles Haddad, attorney and president of the nonprofit Building a Better Boyertown, said the motivation to update the State is part of an ongoing effort to make downtown Boyertown a place people will want to visit and stay.”It’s part of our revitalization of Boyertown,” Haddad said. “We have the Museum of Historic Vehicles, we have the (Colebrookdale) railroad, and now we’re rounding out with the theater to make it a destination place for people when they come to Boyertown. It gives the people of Boyertown an opportunity to do something here in town, as opposed to traveling out of town.”The State Theatre had been a staple in the Boyertown community since opening as the Lyric Theatre in 1912, four years after the tragic Rhoads Opera House fire destroyed that entertainment venue a few blocks away.The State changed hands a few times over the years before closing in March 2015 a few months after then-owner Kevin Rhude stopped showing movies because of the cost of upgrading to digital equipment.

$1-a-year lease

In February 2016, Chester County businessman Stephen Maguire purchased the theater for $204,000. Maguire noted a sentimental attachment to the State, having watched movies there as a youth while visiting his grandmother in Boyertown. Because he wanted to stay involved with the theater, Maguire agreed to lease the venue to the State Theatre Preservation Society for $1 a year over 21 years.

“I would’ve donated money, but I didn’t want to just donate money and have someone else making decisions on how to run it,” Maguire said.Project manager Ken Shaw said the theater renovations were done in two stages. The first involved electrical work, painting, plaster repair and carpet replacement, which enabled the theater to reopen for stage performances in October.The second phase involved converting the movie equipment from a reel system to a digital one, and Friday’s movie showing marks the end of that phase.

Retro/modern mix

Shaw has worked to preserve the building’s vintage style, and the new carpet, lights and other renovations are meant to imitate the theater’s original decor. However, he has had to make some adjustments to accommodate the modern equipment, including building a new room for the digital projector and a platform to support the weight of some of the speakers.

Shaw has done the majority of the renovations, but Maguire has not hesitated to stay involved with the project. His girlfriend even sewed all of the theater’s new curtains.”He’s a hands-on person, not only from a construction standpoint, but he offers good advice over how to operate the theater and groups to bring in,” Haddad said. “He’s been very active with us.”Now that most of the updates have been completed, Maguire plans to take a step back from the theater, allowing manager Shannon Anthony to do most of the day-to-day work.”I want to stay involved to the extent that they need me,” said Maguire, who, in addition to having several family members living in the Boyertown area, now owns the farm where his grandmother used to live.One thing that is staying is the marquee, which Haddad said fits the character of the theater, although blinking lights soon may be added as a border for the sign.”We’re trying to maintain the appearance of it as it was in 1912,” Haddad said. “Nothing too fancy.”The State Theatre Preservation Society runs the theater as a nonprofit and plans to expand the theater’s community involvement with events such as a children’s summer camp, a program for birthday parties and pre-movie social events for adults.