Beacon Cinema’s New Small Screen Could Mean More Movie Choices For Pittsfield

If you go to the movies a lot in Pittsfield, this next bit of Beacon Cinema news might actually change your experience there. There's always those movies that come out that don't wind up being shown at the Beacon, but that could soon change!

The Beacon just got the "ok" from the city to build a seventh screen inside the old Marketplace Cafe space, adjacent to the theater, on North Street (the theater's owner owns the building).

It's gonna be a small one though, just 32 seats, about half the size of the Beacon's other theaters. But size doesn't matter in this case. What it does for moviegoers is the bigger deal.

Right now the Beacon only has six screens, and Jordan Hohman, a vice president with Phoenix Theatres, said that gets tight fast, especially around the holidays when a bunch of big movies come out at the same time. He said they sometimes have to skip showing a film altogether, or push the start date back, just because there's no room on the schedule. -berkshireeagle.com

With a seventh screen, the Beacon can start moving older movies that are winding down into the smaller room, which frees up the bigger theaters for new releases. Owner Cory Jacobson said the extra screen could also mean more independent and niche films finally making it to Pittsfield, stuff that might not have gotten a slot before.

The new screen is expected to open by Thanksgiving, and the theater will stay open the whole time it's being built. Beacon employees will also move the ticket-tearing station closer to the front door, so you'll turn left for the new small screen or right for the original six.

Marjo and I do a ton of live broadcasts there and we love that place - I would surely go see indie films at the Beacon if they started showing more of them. Would you?