The Prytania Theatres
at Canal Place opened for business on Friday, November 13 with a
combination of new releases and classic films.
Rene Brunet III,
whose family owns and operates the Prytania
family of theaters, said that they inquired about the Canal Place location
as soon as Regal Cinemas closed the Cinebarre Canal Place in September 2019. Landmark
Theaters operated Canal Place Cinema as mostly an arthouse venue from
1988-2009. Southern Theaters then expanded the space from 4 screens to 9
screens and introduced a dine-in concept. The COVID-19 pandemic delayed
Prytania's expansion by a few months, but they remained excited about opening a
new venue even in the current challenging landscape.
The new theater
will feature both a concession stand and a kitchen. Brunet said that the
theater hopes to have some menu options ready by Christmas. However, it is
important to note that the kitchen will be "grab-and-go." Canal Place's
previous incarnation featured waiters who would take orders from customers
during movies, as well as deliver orders and settle bills during films. Brunet
said that this is too intrusive and distracts moviegoers from the films on the screen.
"Once
something's on the screen, you gotta get the heck out of the way," Brunet said.
Aside from
running first-run films, the new theater will also show classic films and host
private events and birthday parties.
The Prytania Theatres at Canal Place also received a bar permit last week. They will serve both movie-themed cocktails and "mocktails." Visitors will not need a ticket to buy food or drinks from the theater. If you work in an office in Canal Place or nearby and want to stop by for an after-work drink, you're free to do so. There will also be TV screens at the bar for patrons to watch sporting events and other programming.
The new venue's
decor is also a little cozier and more movie-centric than Canal Place's
previous incarnation. There's a replica of the Prytania's brick exterior ticket
window. There are also posters of Prytania patriarch Rene Brunet Jr. as well as
those of old New Orleans movie theaters lining the walls. Posters of classic
films, including a rare Revenge of the Jedi (the original title for Return
of the Jedi) print, also decorate the hallways.
Brunet said that
his family has long been interested in neighborhood movie theaters. The Prytania's Uptown location
has served Uptown residents for over 100 years. The Prytania Theatres at Canal
Place will give French Quarter/CBD/Warehouse District residents a theater
within walking distance.
Social
distancing procedures will still be in place for the time being. The Prytania
Theatres at Canal Place require masks for entry and will fill no more than 30
percent of seats in an auditorium, even though the state currently allows
theaters to fill theaters up to 50 percent capacity.
For those who
have to drive to Canal Place, validated parking is $4 for 4 hours. While it is
the only theater in the city where moviegoers have to pay to park, the 4-hour
window at least allows visitors to see a normal-length movie and squeeze in
some shopping at the Canal Place shops or a walk along the riverfront while
they're there. Visitors can also ride the Canal Street or St. Charles Avenue streetcar
to stops within a short distance of Canal Place.
