The MECCA THEATER, at 137 N. Main Street, Chase City, Virginia, will be a second-run movie theater, and community center brought back to life by SAVE OUR HERITAGE, SOH, a 501(c)(3) organization.
WHY SAVE THE MECCA?
This question was asked of Beverly Wood, Director of Renovation, Save Our Heritage.
The grandness of this theater is amazing, but the memories that it holds for so many people in our area is why I want to save it. My parents courted in this theater! I attended weekly with my cousins growing up… and being in the balcony did not keep us from attending.
WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE FUTURE OF THE MECCA AFTER IT IS RESTORED?
A long life of showing classic films, local film festivals, music and guests from around the country to speak about their careers and how youth can follow their dreams. I would love to one day see it as a TCM FATHOM theater, where we show films and provide live feed to special events like opera performances, plays and music. We already have an organ for when the theater reopens. We want to show silent films with accompaniment! – Beverly Wood
Bev Wood knows all about realizing dreams. A Chase City native, retired from years of experience in the film industry in Hollywood, California, Beverly rose to the level of Senior Vice President at DELUXE ENTERTAINMENT and finished many films both in film and digitally. She worked on the post-production side of the business with, among others, Quentin Tarantino, Ron Howard, and the Coen brothers. In 2020, she was awarded the prestigious Natalie Kalmus Award for scientific contributions to filmmaking.