Tuesday, July 8, 2025
Over 200 members of the Malverne community and beyond packed the patio at Connolly Station on May 29 to learn about the future of the Malverne Cinema and Arts Center. During the event Nick Hudson, executive director of Entertainment 2 Affect Change, and Maria Dente, president and director of Dente’s Dreamers, shared with the village their vision for the space under a non-profit model.
After closing their doors last September, on May 2 it was announced that they will reopen. The historic cinema, which has been a staple in the community since 1947, stopped screenings due to high operational expenses.
After learning the theater closed, Hudson, a Malverne resident who works for film-related non-profit E2AC, was motivated to get involved. With generational ties to the cinema—Hudson’s grandfather and great grandfather both worked at the Malverne—he couldn’t imagine raising his children in the village without the local theater.
“Things that seem impossible are possible when you come together,” Hudson said. Hudson pitched the idea of adopting a non-profit model for the local cinema, an increasingly popular alternative for local theaters facing closure across the country. Examples include The Bedford Playhouse in Bedford, NY, which reopened as a nonprofit after closing its doors in 2015.
“A community is what is going to rebuild this space,” Mayor Tim Sullivan said. “The community is going to make it something we can all be proud of. The community is what will make it economically viable. And by the showing here today, I know this is going to be a successful endeavor.”
E2AC is serving as a fiscal sponsor for the theater, giving the theater nonprofit status as the cinema applies for 501(c)(3) status on its own. In the meantime, they’ve started to raise funds, with a goal to begin renovations and open as quickly as possible. So far $112,000 was donated to the cinema, with $4,000 raised during the informative kickoff event. The estimated costs are around $500,000.
Hudson expressed his thanks for the support of Henry and Anne Stampfel. The former theater operators. The duo left the theater with quality equipment to be used upon reopening and the village has helped facilitate and provide support for E2AC to start the project.
“It’s not just about a movie theater,” he said. “It’s a really great hub for our community, and I want that for future generations.”
Part of this hub is Dente’s Dreamers, a Lynbrook based non-profit that encourages people, regardless of their ability, to take part in a production company, in roles ranging from stage performers to light and sound design. Dente, a former special-education teacher, was looking for a place to house her operation when she learned about the closed theater and was connected with Hudson.
Their plans for the theater include introducing targeted screenings and spaces that cater to the needs of the cinema’s larger audiences. A family theater decorated with fun colors and bean bag chairs will provide ample space for kids to enjoy movies and attend birthday parties. This space will host Cereal Cinema on Saturdays, serving cereal while they play morning cartoons.
A ‘Silver Screen’ theater will focus on a more senior audience, offering matinees showcasing classic films. The space will be designed with accessibility and providing comfortable seating options.
There will be several ‘Cinephile Screenings’ hosted at The Malverne, highlighting the documentary, independent and foreign films that drew movie lovers from across Long Island to the local theater.
“The cinema reopening is an absolute necessity,” Rhonnie Fischman of Woodmere, said. “I’m fluent in French so with Malverne, I wouldn’t have to go into the city to see all the French movies. It was such an important place for me.”
“I’m really excited that there are people in the community that want to support independent theater, and also a theater experience that caters to so many different communities,” Corri Willis, a Lynbrook resident, said. “My husband and I, we’re both cinephiles, our first date was at the Malverne theater. We love the mission of the theater and so it’s really nice to see it coming back.”
There is also a strong desire to feature the history of the Malverne Cinema in the local community, as well as its contributions to local film culture. To highlight the rich history, there are plans to refurbish the entrance of the cinema to its former glory, a space that originally welcomed home soldiers returning from World War II. The ‘1947’ entrance will create an interactive exhibit celebrating local history.
“I think this is great,” former cinema operator Anne Stampfel said of the event. “The folks working on this have a lot of great ideas to refresh the theater. This town deserves a good functioning cinema, and I miss it terribly.”
‘We’ve been in the theater business for a long time,” Henry added. “We would love to see the theater stay, I hope it can survive.”
Part of the renovations include refurbishing the Palace Theater to its original state. The building already has a cement stage that has been covered by two movie screens, which will give Dente’s Dreamers a place to put on live theater productions and rent out the stage to others.
“I think anything Maria puts her mind to is going to be a success,” Mariah Yildiz, a mother of one of Dente’s former students, said. Yildiz and her son traveled from Queens to support Dente. “It’s her dream that she’s always wanted and I’m really so happy that it’s happening for her.”
Sam Catalano grew up in Malverne and credits the cinema for developing his love of film, leading him to a career in the film and entertainment industry. “The Malverne movie theater was an incredibly important part of my life, not only in that it’s a community center, but as I got older it really helped curate my taste in films,” he said. “When it closed, it hurt on like an ethereal level, it felt unreal. I’m excited to see what the future holds. The most important thing is that the M stays open.”
Hudson shared that the goal for The Malverne is to complete renovations before the Christmas season. His ideal plan is to host a screening of “It’s A Wonderful Life” after the tree lighting, honoring the history of the theater which selected the film as its first premiere in 1947.
“This evening highlighted how a cinema can be a hub for cultural enrichment and community engagement. The Malverne Chamber of Commerce is thrilled the cinema is reopening,” Chairwoman Maria Casini said. “We’re here to support them and to ensure success for them and the whole village.”
“We’re not doing this as a job,” Hudson said of his and Dente’s work. “We’re doing this as volunteers and anyone can join us, become a volunteer, and be part of the next chapter of the Malverne Cinema.”
To get involved with the theater, sign up for email updates on their website, malvernecinema.org.
