, 
For the first time in over a year, the Palace Theatre will be open this weekend for a movie, “Godzilla vs. Kong,” a 2021 American monster film.
Minnesota theaters are allowed to open at half capacity, which for the Palace means 215 may attend at one time, socially distanced and wearing masks.
“You sit with the group you came in with, but you will have to socially distance from others,” Palace director Shawn Kinsinger said Saturday.
“I’m hoping that as May comes around and more people are vaccinated that those guidelines relax more.”
He said he looks forward to activity in general picking up at the Palace after the long pandemic shutdown.
“We’re excited to be at this point,” Kingsinger said. “We have been sitting on a backlog of events waiting to happen. … Movies are just a start.”
For example, the Luverne High School drama club will perform the musical, “Grease,” June 3-5 and June 10-12.
“The high school kids are pretty excited too,” Kinsinger said. “They’ve been shut down as long as we have.”
Other live theater acts on the horizon include a comedian and the Green Earth Players performance of “Game’s Afoot,” which was set to take stage last spring when the state shut down theaters.
“The set is completely ready and costumes are done,” Kinsinger said, adding that the full cast is still on deck for the show, set for Aug. 20-22 and Aug. 26-29.
“We have some top-quality acts planned for as soon as we can get them in here.”
He said it will also be good to start taking in revenue again.
The Blue Mound Area Theater Board leases the Palace building from the city.
According to BMAT treasurer LaDonna Van Aartsen, the Palace has an annual budget of $262,300 and usually makes a profit of anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000.00
Last year the ending budget was $117,651.63 with a loss of $741.43.
“We have had to tap into our savings to keep paying the bills,” Van Aartsen said.
“The bills continue, such as phone, internet, gas bills, insurance, dues, taxes – both payroll and real estate.”
She said Palace staff have still drawn paychecks, due to the COVID-19 Payroll Protection Program.
“We did also receive the first round PPP loan of $9,630 and an EIDL loan of $2,000, which have both been forgiven,” she said.
BMAT also received $$21,595 in grants.
The Luverne Area Community Foundation granted $1,595 for a misting sanitizing machine.
The county granted $5,000 as part of its non-profit pandemic support, and the state gave the Palace $15,000 as part of its support for movie theaters.
Kinsinger said he’s grateful for the financial aid.
“Minnesota as a state is great as far as taking care of the arts,” he said. “And we’ve been able to stretch it and get farther with it.”
He said theater staff took advantage of the down time to address some maintenance, like light-bulb replacement in the projector and black material repair around the movie screen.
Now, Kinsinger and theater staff and volunteers are looking forward to getting back to the business of normal theater entertainment and he said “Godzilla vs. Kong” is the perfect way to launch reopening this weekend.
“It holds the record for the highest-grossing box-office opener since COVID started,” Kinsinger said.
“It seems people are willing to come back to the theater as long as precautions are taken. … It’s been slim picking for Hollywood productions right now. Hopefully they’ll start pumping out more movies this summer.”
Showtimes are 7 p.m. nightly Friday, Saturday and Sunday, April 16-18. Tickets are $5 for kids ages 3-12th grade and $7 for adults.