Bradley’s movies return—because a community wouldn’t quit 
By Rebecca Theriaque
What looks like magic on a Friday night is nothing of the sort. In the Quiet Corner, civic magic is made, not found. An all?volunteer membership did the steady work that never shows up on a poster—replacing projection and sound equipment, tuning the room, refreshing the concessions area, training operators and securing the rights for each title—on a timetable that skirts set builds, rehearsals and tech weekends. 
If you missed the first two films, the rumor on Main Street was accurate. “E.T.” and “Psycho” reopened Movie Nights at the Bradley Playhouse and drew hundreds. Tickets are $8 at the door, lines formed early and the booth hum returned. If you weren’t there, consider this your nudge. Seats go fast. “The smell of salty popcorn fills the hallway and that’s the way it should be!” said Jim, The Theatre’s head Popcorn Chef. 
“Bringing back movies honors what patrons remember and expands what we can offer to help ensure the Bradley’s long?term viability,” theater Vice President Cindy Beckman said. “We’ve heard these memories for years. Now we can make new ones.”
The price tag for the restart was about $50,000 and arrived the old?fashioned way: Grit and gifts, in?kind contributions and hours upon hours of good old-fashioned work. The lobby sponsor wall recounts that help, and the posted donor roll records the names. The lesson is plain enough for any town that loves its institutions: good things are hauled into place by neighbors and friends.
The downtown community also remembers its own history. About 10 years ago, a volunteer crew ran a successful movie program here. The tools are newer, the impulse the same—use the building between productions, broaden access and give families one more reason to come downtown.
The Bradley itself is part of the point. Opened in 1901, the theater has worn several names over time, including the Putnam Opera House and the Imperial Theatre. Films ran here into the 1980s before the community reclaimed the stage for more performing arts. The screen’s return does not change that story; it rounds it out.
Two holiday matinees mark the next chapter. On Christmas Eve, the Bradley will screen “The Muppet Christmas Carol” at 2 p.m., a cheerful prelude to evening traditions and a bit of downtown Christmas magic. On New Year’s Day, Jan. 1, 2026,  “Back to the Future” arrives at 2 p.m., a tidy reset for the calendar. Both are only $8 at the door. I would plan to arrive a few minutes early for the best seat and a warm bag of popcorn.
Dinner?and?a?movie is part of the design. Park once, eat local, then stroll under the marquee. The Courthouse Bar & Grille and 85 Main anchor the block, with an array of eateries along Main Street open before and after the feature. Courthouse general manager and events coordinator Sheila Frost put it this way: “The Courthouse is thrilled to have the addition of movies playing at the Bradley Playhouse. The beautiful theatre is a gem in our downtown and featuring old movies truly highlights Discover Putnam’s ‘Vintage Appeal, Modern Appeal’ tagline.” She notes Courthouse will open New Year’s Day at 11:30 a.m. and will close early on Christmas Eve—kitchen at 2 p.m., bar at 3 p.m.—so lunch before the matinee is a sensible plan.
Practical notes follow. Dates and updates will post at thebradleyplayhouse.org and on the theater’s social channels. Volunteers are always welcome; projection and concessions do not run themselves, and training is provided. If you prefer to help from the checkbook, the office will receipt in?kind gifts and donations that keep a 124-year-old building warm, working and welcoming.
None of this is nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. A steady film slate strengthens the Playhouse between stage productions, gives downtown restaurants reliable traffic and offers families a nearby choice that does not require a long drive. The first nights proved the appetite is here. The holiday matinees will show, again, how a small town holds the screen and the stage at once.
Missed “E.T.” and “Psycho”? You have another chance. Choose a downtown snack, bring a friend and make an afternoon of it. The lights will dim, the room will exhale and the old building will do what it does best—hold us while we look in the same direction.

Photos by Rebecca Theriaque