Chatham Orpheum To Close For Two Weeks To Allow Projection System Upgrade

CHATHAM – When the Chatham Orpheum Theater opened, its projection and sound systems were state of the art. But that was a decade ago, and technology has moved on.

In order to keep up with the technical changes in the industry, the popular downtown theater will close for two weeks beginning Monday, March 11 to install new projection systems. The theater will reopen March 22, according to Executive Director Kevin McLain.

“This will allow us to create a better experience for our customers,” he said of the change.

The upgrade will feature a 4K system with laser projectors in both the large and small theaters. The new system will allow the theater to show movies in the newest, sharpest format available, McLain said. The laser projection system will also save the theater money; the laser lasts as many as 30,000 hours, he said, whereas the existing system’s projection bulb must be replaced every 2,000 to 3,000 hours.

“The laser projectors also use a fraction of the electricity of the normal projectors,” he added. The new system also generates less heat, which will save on cooling costs.

Because of the brightness of the laser projections system, the screen in the small theater will have to be replaced as well. With the short distance from the projector to the screen in that room, the laser system would be too bright, McLain explained. The current white screen would reflect the brightness; the new screen will be more of a gray tone. Since the screen in the large theater is farther away from the projector, it won’t have to be replaced, at least not immediately, he said.

The sound system infrastructure — the wiring and other “guts” — will also be upgraded, which will make for crisper, clearer sound, McLain said. A full sound upgrade awaits pending cost estimates.

Another reason for the change is more technical: the current system’s software won’t be upgradeable by the end of the year. This means it won’t be able to handle security certificates that are necessary to project first-run films.

“We could still show movies,” McLain said, “but we wouldn’t be able to do the security certificates so we couldn’t show new movies. And the projector would no longer be under warranty. So we really have no choice.”

The theater will reopen with the new “Ghostbusters” film, which is being released in 4K. Special screenings of films designed to show off the new system will also be held. The higher resolution will especially be evident in the art films that the theater shows regularly, McLain said.

“They’ll notice it when they’re watching those movies,” he said.

The theater will close the day after its annual Academy Awards party. It’s the best time of year to go dark, McLain said.

“March tends to be the slowest month of the year for us,” he said. “The two weeks after the Oscars are always slow. It’s really the only time of year for this.”

The upgrade is estimated to cost about $400,000. The non-profit theater has applied for grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and other organizations, and plans a campaign to raise matching funds.

While the theater will be closed, Pizza Shark will remain open in the lobby as well as the lower level.

And then there’s the popcorn.

“The real question is what people will do for two weeks without our popcorn,” McLain said. The answer is simple: walk across the street.

The Orpheum is partnering with Chatham Paint and Hardware to hand out its popcorn at no charge.

“We kind of felt that was a good strategic partnership and a very good community-minded thing to do,” he said.

And yes, there is a 4K version of “Jaws” available. Expect to see it on the Orpheum’s big screen this summer. Those teeth have never looked sharper!