The Tivoli Theatre Will Show Movies Again

There will be one screening a month starting in September

By Rosalind Early

Jul 14, 2023 at 2:00 pm

Via Paul Sableman

The Tivoli movie theater is showing films again!

A lot of people were disappointed when Joe Edwards, a business owner on the Loop, sold the Tivoli Theater to One Family Church.

Aside from having a suggestively shaped sign (if you flip it upside down) and a name that spells I Lov It backward, the Tivoli was also a beloved St. Louis independent movie theater.

The church said it would reopen and show movies again, and today it made good on that promise by introducing First Fridays, a chance to watch films in the Tivoli again.

Once a month, the theater will open its doors for a pre-show performance and a film screening. This being church-operated, don't expect any Grindhouse or R-rated features. In fact, the church won't be showcasing new releases but instead plans to show recent popular films.

If you want to get back in the Tivoli, even if it is to watch a wholesome film you may have seen before, then here is the line-up, which will start this fall:

September 1: Top Gun: Maverick (with a pre-show performance by Minister Shawanda Smith)

October 6: Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (with a pre-show performance by the University City High School Orchestra)

November 3: Black Panther (with a pre-show performance by Gentlemen of Vision Step Team)

December 1: Home Alone (with a pre-show performance by the Muny Kids)

Tickets are $7 to $10 and all of the concessions are $3. The shows all start at 7 p.m. You can get tickets here. All profits benefit a local agency called The FAM, which wants to "eliminate race as a factor in home ownership throughout St. Louis," according to its website.

And even if you're disappointed that the Tivoli won't be a full-fledged movie theater again, there is some good news for preservationists. One Family Church is undertaking a $1 million restoration of the Tivoli, including its 40-foot vaulted ceiling.

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Movie Reviews & News Things to Do St. Louis movie theaters Tivoli movie theater One Family Church First Friday movie nights at the Tivoli

About The Author

Rosalind Early

Rosalind is the former editor-in-chief of the Riverfront Times. She formerly worked for Washington University's alumni magazine and St. Louis Magazine. In 2018, she was selected as a Rising Leader of Color by the Theatre Communications Group. In 2014, she was selected as an Emerging Leader by FOCUS St. Louis...

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