Liberty Theater Gets New Projector

DAYTON -- The Liberty Theater is making the tran- sition from 35 millimeter to digital this week, when McRae Theater Equipment arrives to install a state-of- the-art projector. Donations and grants from community members, businesses and foundations kept the the- ater's conversion on track in advance of major movie studios deadline for eliminating 35 millimeter prints, and Dayton's historic theater can continue to secure first run films for the community. The new technology will be unveiled Friday when "The Dark Knight Rises opens" at 7:30 p.m.

The Liberty Theater, lo- cated on Dayton's Main Street be- tween Second and Third streets, was renovated in 2001 by the Touchet Valley Arts Council, an independent non-profit or- ganization.

Since the renovation, the theater has been showing fam- ily oriented movies four days a week and a for- eign film dur- ing the Fourth Friday Foreign Film events, according to the theater's website. The theater also hosts live performances by the Touchet Valley Arts Council Productions and the Missoula Children's Theater.

The film industry's accelerated timeline put pres- sure on the council to come up with a lot of funding for a new projector very quickly.