Board, Old Manager Spar Over 'Official' Theatre Facebook Page

The Newtown Theatre has a new official Facebook page, the board of directors announced late last week. 

The theatre is closed until early 2014 for a series of upgrades, including a new digital projector, according to an announcement made by the board in late October.

According to Andy Smith, president of the theatre’s board of directors, the old Facebook page is being operated by the former manager of the theatre, Eric Silverman. 

According to Smith, Silverman has “refused to give up the Facebook page and the website.”  The theatre’s new “official” website is www.ournewtowntheatre.com. 

On Friday, a message posted on the old, now “unofficial” page read: “I am very sorry to announce that there will not be any Christmas Movies at the Newtown Theatre this year, on the 29th of October the Board of the Theatre let me go, and closed the theatre for movies. I am heartbroken as the Holidays at the Newtown Theatre have always been very important to the staff and myself. We wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.”

In response, Smith posted this message to the new Facebook page:

“Good morning to all of our new friends! We want everyone to know that anything being posted on the old theatre Facebook page is not coming from the theatre's Board of Directors. Posts on that page are being put up by the former manager of the theatre. He has refused to give up the Facebook page and the website. He has also blocked us from making comments on that page. Extremely frustrating as we're sure you can imagine. The only true source of accurate information about the theatre is on this page. 

Please know that the theatre is NOT closed but is simply not showing movies for a few months while we make the MANY upgrades necessary to install a digital projection system. Meanwhile, the theatre is still hosting live events such as the Newtown Arts Company. We expect to be up and running again sometime in the New Year. Thanks for your interest in the theatre. We expect to be back and better than ever soon!”