Sewickley’s Tull Family Theater celebrates 5 years of movies, more
Since the day it opened, The Tull Family Theater in Sewickley has been more than a place to show films.
“From the beginning, the goal was to create a cultural organization of relevance and service to the region,” said Carolina Pais-Barreto Thor, CEO of the theater. “We knew because the theater is a non-profit that earned revenues would not sustain it. There is always need of support from donations and gifts like most cultural organizations.”
The original plan is working.
The theater on Walnut Street will celebrate its fifth anniversary on Feb. 17.
To celebrate its anniversary, the theater will offer ongoing special programming, including some that is free. It’s an opportunity to attract new patrons and also thank the regular customers, Thor said. The theater has two screen rooms. One holds 169 people, and the other, 69.
The theater is known for offering interdisciplinary programming, such as new cinematic releases, indies, art-on-screen, classics, speaker series, festivals, exhibits and live theater.
Having the support of the Tull family was instrumental in the theater gaining early success and momentum, Thor said.
Among the highlights of the past five years are hosting Oscar-nominated artists, international emerging filmmaker competitions, a residency of Quantum Theatre and the Three Rivers Film Festival, Thor said. Being included in the film festival “certainly magnifies the impact of our offerings,” she said.
The Tull Family Theater was the most incredible partner, said Kathryn Spitz Cohan, executive director for Film Pittsburgh, which produces the film festival. Spitz Cohan said the space is beautiful and applauded its dedication as a community-based theater.
“I love working with them,” Spitz Cohan said. “They were incredibly gracious. I would love for us to continue to be at the Tull Family Theater for the foreseeable future. They are a class act.”
Thor said partnerships with organizations such as Film Pittsburgh allow the theater to broaden its reach, one that has been focused on making the theater accessible to those with limited economic resources.
“The theater is not just for this area,” she said. “We want to extend the opportunity to the suburbs and rural communities, by breaking down barriers for those who are isolated.”
The goal is to continue to bring patrons from not only Sewickley but nearby communities and beyond. The theater offers open captioning and sensory-friendly screening. It launched initiatives geared to senior citizens and youth.
The theater had to re-invent itself because of the pandemic. It created cinema maker sessions, an initiative that utilizes filmmaking as a gateway to other careers for young people.
The program introduces underserved middle school students to science, technology, engineering and math careers.
The Richard King Mellon Foundation provided a $250,000 award specifically for the cinema maker sessions, which begin with the filmmaking process.
The funds are to be used to fund programming for students living in poverty in Allegheny County. Data from the Pew Research Center found that youngsters whose families are outside the science, technology, engineering and math workforce are not likely to pursue careers within the innovation economy.
“The attraction is about learning to make the film,” Thor said. “They will meet people in the process and gain knowledge of set design as well as engineering and manufacturing. We start with middle school students and get them comfortable with these concepts all while making it exciting and fun.”
The program has reached areas such as Mooncrest, which doesn’t have public transportation, and Ambridge – both only minutes away.
This past August, children from Ambridge were part of an outreach program, many of who hadn’t left their neighborhood all summer.
The theater is supporting the work of two female filmmakers advancing a film about historically omitted Black inventor Lewis Latimer. The film will involve cinema maker sessions with students as pre-apprentices and provide them with opportunities to use high-quality equipment and interact with professionals.
“During the Theater’s startup years, we gathered a lot of data and feedback that helped us design meaningful programs and offerings, forging the Theater as a relevant asset to the region it serves,” Thor said. “With a visionary board of directors, dynamic staff, and funders willing to invest in nontraditional programs, we are poised for even greater impact and service in the next few years.”
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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