Traer Theater Premiers Hometown Film

TRAER - Laughs! Drama! Mystery! Romance!

Like the "shouting" script that flashed across the silver screen in movie trailers of long ago, "The Call" has it all.

And more!

Because, "The Call," premiering at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Traer Theater uses all local actors. And its purpose is to ensure that movie fans in this northern Tama County community of 1,500-plus citizens can go to the movies for decades to come.

"People come in happy and they leave happy," says Mona Larsen, 50, who grew up in Traer and has managed the theater the last three years. "I think it's important to be involved in the community. I have a lot of great memories of this theater."

Traer has had a theater in one form or another for more than a century, from silent picture shows at the opera house before 1910 to a brand new CinemaScope-screen theater that opened, then closed, in the ‘50s.

The staple has been this theater, owned by the commercial club, and now the chamber of commerce, since 1958. From 1971 to 2001 it was managed by Mike Reuman and his family who also have a men's clothing store down the street.

"I remembered as a kid going there," Mike says. "It was ten-cents admission and ten-cents for a box of popcorn."

He also recalls an uncle talking about his work in the projection booth before "talkies."

Through the years the theater has been upgraded - air conditioning installed in 1977, new projector in 1990, and complete interior renovation for a reopening in 2006.

It's time to keep the momentum going with a $60,000 upgrade to digital projection equipment if the theater is to continue to draw patrons away from televisions, DVD players and video games.

Hence the local movie project which came about after Jolene Holden got a part in nearby Clutier's production of "Hometown" earlier this year. It was made by Scott Thompson of My town Pictures of Wisconsin.

"I had a great time," says Jolene, 52, (center). "I thought, why don't we do it here?"

After contacting Thompson, auditions were held this summer, 26 actors were chosen, a script was written and filming took place over seven days. The 90-minute movie is now ready to go with showings at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday and 7 p.m. Monday. Admission is $5. (You can see some clips at www.mytownpictures.com)

"I'm selling autographs," laughs Patty Suess, 56, (left) who owns the Sunnyside Tavern and Cafe down the street and plays a tavern owner.

"It was fun," she adds. "We got to interact with a lot of people we wouldn't normally mingle with."

Larry Hassman, 65, (right) a veteran of high school and community productions, enjoyed playing Jarvis who pokes fun at people who speculate about movie's mystery.

"It was a common goal, knowing we were doing something for the community," Larry says. "It wasn't really work."

What's going on in town?

Who is James Lincoln?

Why does this guy keep calling me?

Find out in "The Call."

Comments: (319) 398-8323; dave.rasdal@sourcemedia.net