SHU Community Theatre to Present New Indiana Jones Film
Historic Fairfield venue is an ideal place to watch Harrison Ford reprise iconic role
The SHU Community Theatre will open its doors June 30 for a showing of the latest Indiana Jones movie, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, with a sneak preview June 29.
Harrison Ford returns to the big screen as the heroic archaeologist for the fifth installment of the Indiana Jones series, and this time he races against time to retrieve a legendary artifact that can change history. He’s joined by a cast that includes Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Antonio Banderas, John Rhys-Davies, Shaunette Renee Wilson, Thomas Kretschmann, Toby Jones, Boyd Holbrook, Olivier Richters, Ethann Isidore and Mads Mikkelsen.
James Mangold directed the film, with Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Simon Emanuel producing. Steven Spielberg and George Lucas are the executive producers, and John Williams, who was behind the music of each Indiana Jones movie since the Raiders of the Lost Ark, created the score.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny premiered in May at the Cannes Film Festival and makes its theatre debut June 30. SHU will run sneak previews June 29 in addition to the June 30 showings, with start times of 4 and 7:30 p.m. both days. The movie will run through July 22, and tickets are $12, and $10 for seniors, students and children.
While this isn’t the first time the theatre, which dates to the silent movie era, has shown a newly released movie, the last one was quite a while ago. That makes this big news for the community and Sacred Heart, which took over the long-closed landmark in 2019 to transform it into a contemporary arts and education venue.
Beverly Balaz, Fairfield Chamber of Commerce president, said a new film release creates excitement, and SHU’s theatre adds to the anticipation because it’s nearby, easy to get to and close to restaurants. “It’s a historic and exquisite theatre; a perfect venue to relax and comfortably watch a movie,” said Balaz.
Matt Oestreicher, the theatre’s executive director, is thrilled to present a new release. “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is the exact kind of movie we want to show to introduce our new summer blockbuster series. Patrons can experience it on the big screen in an immersive environment. It also will evoke nostalgia for the many people in our community who saw the classic Indiana Jones at the cinema,” Oestreicher said.
Located in downtown Fairfield, SHU Community Theatre pairs entertainment and education in a fully reimagined, historic, 400-seat venue. It offers live concerts, theatrical performances and films, as well as author talks and learning activities.
“Our live music, comedy and thought-leader series have gained a lot of traction,” said Oestreicher, adding that showing new movie releases will offer even more opportunities to appeal to the community.
He anticipates the theatre will host more premieres and new releases in the future, in addition to appearances by directors, actors and producers who will speak about their work. “We are becoming an artistic, educational and inspirational mecca for our area,” he said.
To purchase tickets for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, visit the SHU Community Theatre website.