By Jennifer Jacob Brown
The Temple Theater in downtown Meridian will be taking patrons on a Time Warp, a magical train ride, and a musical journey through Austria this weekend.
The Theater will screen three classic films: The Sound of Music, the 1965 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer; The Rocky Horror Picture Show, an interactive musical cult classic featuring Tim Curry and Susan Sarandon; and the Polar Express, a more recent holiday favorite starring Tom Hanks and featuring a magical train journey to the North Pole.
Each screening will include more than just sitting and watching a movie — they will be interactive experiences.
At the Polar Express screenings, kids are encouraged to wear PJ's and partake of free hot chocolate and cookies. Before the screenings, Santa will be there to greet kids and pose for a photo with them.
Parents are encouraged to bring their kids early if they want a picture with Santa.
During the Sound of Music screening, audience members are encouraged to sing along and to dress as their favorite Sound of Music characters.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show, said theater owner Roger Smith, "is the typical Rocky Horror thing." Meaning that audience members are encouraged to dress as characters, dance along with numbers, and call out lines during appropriate points in the film.
Local band Dark Sundays will open for the Rocky Horror Picture Show, playing a mix of original and cover electro-acoustic songs. Patrons are encouraged to show up early and see the band.
Smith, who bought the theater in February, said he has always intended to show classic films there. "It seems there's a little bit of desire for older films here," he said. "We showed To Kill a Mockingbird in conjunction with the stage play, and had about 250 people show up. We were pleased."
Smith said the Temple is "strictly a non-profit deal" and will accept donations if they are offered.
He said the theater will likely continue to screen the movies that are being shown this weekend, with the Sound of Music and the Polar Express possibly running throughout the holiday season and the Rocky Horror Picture Show possibly running up to once a month indefinitely.
Admission is $5 for each screening. For the Polar Express, the hot chocolate, cookies, and pictures with Santa are included in the admission. The performance by Dark Sundays is included in the admission for the Rocky Horror Picture Show. For more information, call (601) 693-5353.
Want to go?
• The Polar Express: Today and Sunday at 4:30 p.m. Arrive early to meet Santa and receive free hot chocolate and cookies for kids.
• The Sound of Music: Today at 1 p.m. and 7:15 p.m., and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.
• The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Tonight at 11 p.m. Arrive early to hear local band Dark Sundays perform.
• Admission: $5
