Who We are:

Friends of the Midwest Theater (FMT) is a group of concerned citizens who join together voluntarily to help operate activities at the theater, to raise funds, and plan the renovation. FMT has the responsibility of fund raising, organizing, planning, and administering the operations of the theater. FMT was established in the fall of 1998 with the help of Oregon Trail Community Foundation. We received our non-profit 501C3 status in March 2000. The FMT consists of a 14 member Board of Directors. Our board members and volunteers come from the region with one representative from the Oregon Trail Community Foundation. We have successfully operated the theater since November 1998. FMT’s basic operational costs come from movies, concessions, and memberships.

The Vision:

The theater shall be the premier, multi-purpose cultural venue to accommodate fine film and performing arts while maintaining the historic integrity of the building. It will remain a vital facility, promoting arts and tourism in the community, the region, and beyond. We envision this theater as a Grand Theater as it was in 1946 – lush velvet seats, beautiful carpeting, mirrors – a place where people are excited about attending movies and performances. We envision the theater as providing a space for the presentation of film, live performances of music, theater, and art; and a space for community programs and receptions. The historic theater is also a place to revisit our past and learn. We plan to make the Historic Midwest Theater the most versatile facility possible. The movie theater is a familiar and important part of the culture of our communities.