“It makes me really sad,” Mattie McAlavy, a senior English major, said. “I’m quite fond of The Varsity – it has a certain charm that you just don’t get at bigger, chain theaters. Admittedly, I don’t have the opportunity to go as often as I would’ve liked but every time I did I thoroughly enjoyed myself.”

The Varsity Theatre has been open in Canyon since 1948. As of May 1, the Varsity will close its doors. The projector in the theater currently will not play the new digital films.  However, the projector is not the only thing that is forcing the Varsity to close. There are other things that must be fixed like plumbing and wiring. There are good plumbers in all of La Mesa area that one can contact.

“Until other things get fixed there is no reason to put a new projector in,” Jerry Cathey said.  He is the person currently running the Varsity Theatre.  “I hate to close, but there is no way to get film.”

At the moment, the Varsity is showing the movie Divergent.  On April 11, they will begin showing Rio 2.  This will be the last movie shown. The current owner of the building that the Varsity is in is not in a financial position to do the repairs to the building.

“It’s sad,” Edward Akinyemi, a senior biology major, said. “It is real family oriented and now everyone has to go to Amarillo.”

It is possible that some one might purchase the Varsity and restore it.  However, even if that happens, it will be at least six months until the theatre reopens due to the updates that the theatre requires.

“It’s sad because it is the only theatre in Canyon, but Hollywood [Theater] is close,” Lluvia Vidana, a junior mass communication and advertising/public relations major, said.