Fathom Entertainment, a new entertainment source that “distributes exclusive, affordable entertainment events to movie theatre audiences across the U.S.,” according to its website, has rapidly been spreading its services to local cinemas.
Already serving more than 700 theaters across the country, the Fathom Entertainment experiences will now become available in the Athens area.
Feb. 2, the Athena Grand will showcase Kevin Smith: Live From Behind at 9:30 p.m., the only screening in Southeast Ohio. Tickets will be $15.
The event will feature Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes, most well known as Jay and Silent Bob in films such as the Clerks series, Chasing Amy and Dogma, which Smith also wrote and directed.
The show will be broadcast live from Toronto and will begin with Smith and Mewes hosting their popular podcast, “Jay and Silent Bob Get Old.” Later, the show will feature Smith on stage as he answers various questions asked live from his fans on his Twitter page, @ThatKevinSmith.
“Doing something like this means you can get the event into a theater in a very small town,” said Smith. “We may have never been to that small town, but we can be with this Q&A event.”
The target audience for the event will range between his long-time cult followers and his newly converted fans of his recent films, along with everyday comic book readers, live comedy fans, and the general moviegoer, according to Fathom Entertainment.
“Since the release of his debut film in 1994, Kevin Smith has been a veritable force in the entertainment industry,” said Dan Diamond, senior vice president of National CineMedia, creator of Fathom Entertainment.
Since Jan. 27, more than 50 tickets have already been sold for this event in Athens. Rick Frame, manager of the Athena Grand, said he believes 80 percent of the theater’s capacity will end up filled, or around 170 tickets.
The Athena Grand will later continue the Fathom Entertainment series by showing LA Phil Live: Dudamel Conducts Mahler 8 Feb. 18, and the Metropolitan Opera performances of Ernani Feb. 25 and Manon April 7.
Smith said he looking forward to being a part of the performance.
“I can be like ‘Hey man, I’m going to be on the screen soon, pop into a theater and check it out,’” said Smith. “That’s kind of magical. The very ability to do that on a wider level now, instead of just doing it one night only in this city, in this theater … I look forward to it.”
wa054010@ohiou.edu
If You Go
What: Kevin Smith: Live from Behind
When: 9:30 p.m. Thursday
Where: Athena Grand, 1008 E. State St.
Admission: $15
