Hopewell Theater Offers Community Entertainment Hub in Central Jersey

Regardless of your taste, this Central Jersey venue has something for you. The former home of the Off-Broadstreet Theater — a staple of the Hopewell community from 1984 to 2014 — underwent a renovation in 2015 to reflect the comfortable and modern feeling its new owners wanted to promote.

Reincarnated as the Hopewell Theater, the building received a new roof, electrical system and HVAC, and was updated to include state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems.

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There’s Hope for Hopewell Theater

The most noticeable change, though, is the reimagining of the interior; in particular, the creation of a space that invites patrons to connect with each other.

“Our vision is that [Hopewell Theater] will become a place that people rely on for great entertainment — movies, music, the works,” says Sara Scully, executive director of Hopewell Theater in Hopewell.

“We want them to come, possibly without even knowing who the band is, because they know they’ll have a great time in a great atmosphere, and they trust us to always put on a great show.”

“The overall design was aimed at creating a space that is warm, welcoming and convivial, like a supper club,” Scully says. “We wanted a place for people to be with friends and enjoy live entertainment; and it’s that experience we want people to have that guided the interior design.”

In that spirit, the theater now includes a variety of seating options; these include banquettes, cozy booths, night club tables and chairs, theater seating and a balcony with a bar.

Scully says the goal is to create a hybrid place; one where people can enjoy live music, watch a movie or just hang out and enjoy a meal with friends.

What’s Up Next (& On the Menu)

“We have traditional concession stand options like popcorn and candy, and we offer light food, such as our Thai turkey meatballs, on our dine-in menu,” Scully says. “But we also have what we call pop-up supper clubs; which are three-course meals by a local caterer and served by servers prior to the show.”

“We’re excited for our next supper club on Feb. 24, when we’re screening all the 2018 Oscar-nominated short animated films and the food will be provided by Siam.”

Siam was a popular Thai restaurant in Lambertville that closed in 2016 but has entered into an agreement with the theater to host several upcoming supper club events.

Other upcoming events include a variety of film screenings, live musical performances, and more.

Aside from its current lineup, Scully says that the theater is looking to expand into comedy — “our direction is more the thoughtful humorist and spoken word type” — and is available for private bookings.

The Show Must Go On

“It’s very popular as a rental, for everything from private film screenings to fundraisers to theater rehearsals. We also have a full catering kitchen, so weddings are a possibility, too.”

Regardless of why people visit the theater, Scully’s main goal is to guarantee that they have a great time; and that they’re always excited to come back.

“We want people to know that if they come here, they’ll have a great experience — the lighting, the sound and the talent will be amazing, and they’ll want to hang out after the show to finish their wine,”she says. “I want the public to trust that Hopewell Theater is going to deliver.”

For more information on the theater and a full list of events, visit the website.

Hopewell Theater Info
Where: 5 S. Greenwood Ave., Hopewell
Contact: Give them a call or send them an email.
More Info: Click here.

All Photos: © Thomas Robert Clarke