The Prospector Theater will have a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 15, to mark its expansion into Wilton. Following renovations, the theater is expected to open in the fall of 2021.
Prospector Theater / Contributed photoWILTON — Pink will be the color of the day when the Prospector Theater cuts a pink ribbon on Tuesday, Sept. 15, marking the beginning of its expansion into Wilton. The community is invited to join at 11 a.m. for the ribbon-cutting and popcorn confetti.
The Prospector will bring a new first-run movie theater to Wilton Center, in the space previously occupied by Bow Tie Cinemas at 21 River Road.
The new location will be a four-screen, nonprofit premium theater with the mission of employing adults with disabilities in an integrated and competitive work environment.
The renovated theater, in Wilton River Park, “will bring the sparkle, design, adaptive technology, and accessibility of the Ridgefield location to downtown Wilton,” a press release said. Renovations will begin in September, with an opening planned for the fall of 2021.
The theater is being called a boutique version of the original Prospector that recently marked five years in Ridgefield, and will offer a wide spectrum of jobs for Prospects, the name of all theater employees. It is designed to educate, engage, and entertain audiences of all ages, while employing individuals who are traditionally underrepresented in the workforce.
“Another theater brings more awareness of, and appreciation for, our important mission,” said Valerie Jensen, the theater’s founder and executive director. “Since opening, thousands of people have reached out to us, asking us to build another theater. We’re so excited to share our sparkle with the town of Wilton and the joys of meaningful employment with a new generation of Prospects!”
The theater employs 108 Prospects, with 75 percent self-identifying with a disability. Since it opened in November 2014, more than 260 Prospects have worked at the theater, logging over 630,000 hours of meaningful employment while welcoming over 625,000 guests.
Information: prospectortheater.org or facebook.com/prospectortheater.