Ross Theater returns to roots

Catherine Rose | staff writer

While many movie theaters across the country decided to close their doors during the global pandemic, the Ross Theater on the southside of the square opened its doors for the first time in about 20 years since the business was last a movie theater.

“We bought the theater to be a place to come for the community and help to build the downtown historic square back up,” Sarah Edrington, who owns the Ross Theater with her husband, John.

The Ross Theater, originally named the Scott Theatre, was built by Ethel Luckett in 1947, allowing 600 people to sit inside the Art Moderne-style building. The Luckett family opened several Scott County businesses including the Moonglo Drive- In and the first Scottsburg swimming pool, according to the Scottsburg Heritage Center and the Scott County Bicentennial.

“I remember in the ‘60s going to see ‘The Jungle Book’ when it first came out. The line was so long that it stretched around the corner of the building next to the theater,” said Alice Stackhouse, a Scottsburg resident.

Before opening night, the Ross Theater had to prepare to reopen the space as a movie theater — the space was used as a concert venue since 2002 and Ron Ross, who ran the Ross Country Jamboree there for more than a decade.

“No major remodeling has taken place yet,” Edrington said. “That is the reason we are asking for donations as we are a non-profit organization.”

Three weeks ago, the Ross Theater celebrated the theater’s 73rd anniversary with cake and later its opening with “Hocus Pocus,” the top-grossing domestic re-release movie of 2020 so far. The theater also featured movies, such as “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” and will be playing “Elf” later this month. Tickets prices run at $3 per person.

“We will be showing second-run movies for the time being,” Edrington said.

But, getting to opening night was carefully planned with COVID-19 concerns of physically distancing in an enclosed space.

“We have two Phoenix Guardian HEPA air scrubbers that ran except for during times the public is in,” Edrington said. “They will be on during times of shows. We also clean and fog the theater after each showtime. Our theater can seat 500, but we have it limited to 150 for the time being.”

While the extensive cleaning and air filtering system was done by the theater, the customers had to do their part as well.

“We ask families to leave three seats between them and the next family. We asked that everyone wears a mask unless eating or drinking,” Edrington said.