Why I Believe in Movie Magic (and Popcorn)

Back in the 2010s, when Charlie (President of the Liberty Board) and I lived in Gainesville, Florida, we frequently visited a local independent theater called The Hippodrome. A large, statuesque building with a facade that looks more like a City Hall building than a art-house theater, there was always something playing there that you could spontaneously pop-in for, or have on your calendar for weeks.

The Hippodrome Theater in Gainesville, Florida.

The thing about “The Hipp” as it was affectionately called, was that we trusted that whatever was programmed was good. I would often walk up the stone steps (which was usually being used for a photoshoot backdrop) and purchase a ticket for a movie I had never heard of, and didn’t feel like I needed to Google beforehand. I knew the popcorn was going to be salty and satisfying, and that there would be a decent crowd with me in the audience, ready to be transported somewhere new.

Speaking of popcorn…the reason I felt like writing about The Hipp in the first place is because it is one of our biggest inspirations for running The Liberty. The community knew it was being taken care of with love, and in turn, we knew the theater would take care of us. As a board, we all wanted to create something fun that can bring Southern Illinois movie-lovers together, so we created The Popcorn Club! A brand-new Patreon (a subscription-based membership), with multiple membership tiers to choose from, and some fantastic exclusive benefits to encourage everyone to see more movies and get cool stuff at the same time!

Joining Popcorn Club for just $6/month comes with a movie ticket every month and of course…FREE POPCORN. On top of that, we’re updating the Patreon page with The Liberty video podcast episodes, blog posts about all the goings-on at the theater, chances to vote on the movies we screen, and so much more.

And if you’re still craving more…there’s a premium membership that gets you exclusive merch drops designed by local artists on top of everything else.

We want our patrons to feel taken care of and excited for the future of the Liberty, because we are working hard to provide something to be excited about. We hope you consider joining us and supporting the theater…there’s so much more to come.

See you at the movies!

Lauren Leshansky

Treasurer