CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — The base theater is reopening and inviting all for free movies on Friday.

Base officials are hosting a ribbon-cutting to celebrate the theater’s face lift. The ceremonies, planned for 2:30 p.m. Friday in Foster Theater, will be accompanied by Taiko drummers from Zukeran Elementary School, a jazz ensemble and Kubasaki High School’s JROTC color guard.

Another treat starts later, according to Marine Lt. Col. Todd Hyson, deputy camp commander: Free movies are slated starting in the afternoon and running throughout the evening.

“Piglet’s Big Movie” will start at 4 p.m., followed by “Chicago” at 7 p.m. “Gangs of New York” will round out the free viewings.

Every person coming to the shows also will receive a free theater-sized candy bar.

The theater closed several months ago for a complete renovation, totaling more than $1.7 million, said Ensign Howard Smith, assistant resident officer in charge of construction.

“There is very little in the theater that hasn’t changed,” Smith said. “Almost every single thing has been replaced.”

New, larger seats replaced the old, along with new floors for the audience and stage areas. Seating capacity has decreased, from 990 to 772, but the seating is more spacious, he said.

Also new are ceilings and walls, a ticket booth and restrooms, including women’s restrooms with double the capacity of the previous ones.

“We also have a traffic pattern, whereas before, there really wasn’t one at all,” Smith said. “It used to be you just followed the person in front of you.”

Migrated