MARTINSVILLE — A historic movie theatre was hiding in plain sight for decades in downtown Martinsville. Thanks to the city's investment, the rechristened Martinsville Entertainment Theatre is shining in the spotlight again.
The 300-seat theatre will reopen to the public with a concert on December 6. Executive director Kari Palma is confident the Martinsville Entertainment Theatre, colloquially known as The MET, will become a valuable community asset.
"I'm a public school music teacher, so I know the benefits of entertainment," Palma said. "We are hoping that this will be a legacy for decades."
The MET screened movies in Martinsville going back to at least 1912, but the theatre section was hidden away from the public starting in the 1950s.
"This was a Sherwin-Williams paint store, but the stage and the seating was all closed off," Palma said. "You would go through the door and realize this used to be a theatre."
She hopes the theatre will attract both passersby traveling between Indianapolis and Bloomington and people in Martinsville who want to get out into their community.
"We all experienced during COVID what it was like to be in the house and not go places," Palma said. "It is truly meaningful to go places and experience things with other people."
The historic theatre structure is ready for performances again after more than a year of rehabilitation. Local musician and promoter Rob Helms has already booked more than 20 concerts at The MET through the end of 2026.
"You have to prove people wrong sometimes. People will say you can't do this, or you can't do that,'" Helms said. "People are now like, 'I see it now' since we're starting to build it."
The Martinsville Entertainment Theatre opens with a concert from Phat Cat Swingers at 7:30 p.m. on December 6.
