The Sesser Opera House in Sesser, IL was once a bustling cultural center that played host to decades worth of entertainment including silent movies and early feature films. The City of Sesser, which owns the theater, began their project with a goal of installing a new projection system and silver screen so that the theater could once again be used as a working cinema. Amazingly, the cost of the new equipment and installation came in under budget, and they were able to expand their project to include relocating a pair of antique projectors to a display on the lower level as well as the renovation of the projection room.
Vintage film projector in new display
The first phase of the project involved the careful disassembly and relocation of the two vintage, carbon-arc, Peerless projectors from the upstairs projection room down to their very own windowed display areas. This move was hugely beneficial because it enabled far more people to safely and easily view two valuable pieces of Sesser history without the need to climb up a very steep and narrow stairwell, and it opened the projection room up for restoration and re-use.
The projection room before renovation
The next phase was the projection room tear-out and renovation. This work was accomplished using a combination of volunteer labor and paid help from a local Sesser electrician. The old wiring from the film projectors was first tested for power and then removed. As a next step, the old cement wall and ceiling board was torn out, as well as the old flooring. New sheets of drywall were then hung on the walls and ceiling and painted.
The projection room after renovation
Afterwards, the electrician returned and installed two new power circuits in the projection room, as well as two new dimmable LED light fixtures in the ceiling. A network cable was ran through the wall from the projection room down to the AV booth to connect video sources in the booth to the new projector. After the electrician's work was complete, a custom platform was constructed for the new projector to rest on.
The final phase of the project was the installation of the new projector and motorized screen. With the new projection system in place, the City of Sesser can now offer their community and the surrounding area family-friendly movie showings and presentations. They also plan to partner with local businesses so movie showings can be offered at little or no cost to attendees.
