FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
READING, MA — Let us explain. No, there is too much. Let us sum up.
RCTV Studios’ Debut Movie on the Common was a huge success!
On Thursday evening, August 13, the Reading community gathered on the Town Common for a free outdoor screening of The Princess Bride. Families, friends and neighbors arrived with blankets and lawn chairs and settled in for a beautiful summer evening of movies, popcorn, raffle prizes and community spirit.
Pulling together RCTV’s first outdoor movie night in just five to six weeks was no small feat. There may have been a few moments when the planning process felt a little like navigating the Fire Swamp, but seeing the Common filled with people made every minute of it worthwhile.
“We are incredibly thankful to everyone who helped make this night possible,” said RCTV Studios Executive Director Deirdre Morales. “From our staff and board to the Town of Reading, our sponsors and local businesses, and especially the residents who came out to enjoy the evening, this event was a wonderful example of what can happen when a community comes together.”
A special “As you wish!” goes to the Town of Reading and the dedicated staff at Town Hall, who backed the idea from the beginning and guided RCTV through the permitting process. Their support helped turn an idea into a real community event.
RCTV is incredibly grateful to its event sponsors, Reading Cooperative Bank, Reading-North Reading Chamber of Commerce, and Tiny Pubs of Reading, whose generous support helped make the evening possible.
Many thanks also to Nella’s Pizza, which stayed open an extra hour for Movie Night and donated a portion of its proceeds to RCTV Studios. Pizza, a movie and a summer night on the Common? We could hardly ask for more.
RCTV also extends its appreciation to the many local businesses and organizations that generously contributed raffle prizes, gift cards and other support, including Calareso’s Farm Stand, Dandis Ice Cream, Dena Taylor Skating, Boston Bruins Foundation, Cordele Photography, Tin Bucket, Public Kitchen, East Coast Massage Therapy, Boston Pub Crawling, and Gina’s Paradise Esthetics.
And to the local news outlets and community organizations that helped spread the word before, during and after the event — thank you for helping us get the word out.
Of course, none of this would have mattered without the people of Reading. Thank you to everyone who came out and made the evening so memorable. Seeing the Common filled with families, friends and neighbors enjoying a movie together was a wonderful reminder of why community events like this matter. “This was about so much more than showing a movie,” Morales said. “It was about bringing people together, introducing more residents to RCTV, celebrating the businesses and organizations that invest in our community, and creating something fun that we hope can continue to grow.”
And while the planning process may have occasionally felt like an adventure worthy of the Dread Pirate Roberts, the result was worth every twist, turn and last-minute detail.
As for those who wondered whether RCTV could actually pull off an outdoor movie night in just a few weeks? Inconceivable!
So, from everyone at RCTV Studios:
Thank you to our staff. Thank you to our board. Thank you to the Town of Reading. Thank you to our sponsors, donors, local businesses and community partners. And most of all, thank you to the residents who showed up and made the night special. You made our first Movie on the Common one to remember.
We had fun storming the castle!
About RCTV Studios
RCTV Studios (Reading Community Television, Inc.) is a member-supported source for public, educational, and government access programming focused on issues and activities that reflect the diverse voices of the Reading community. As a center for learning, RCTV Studios provides comprehensive, hands-on media training for its members and students, including programming offered in cooperation with Reading schools. For more than 30 years, RCTV has been dedicated to serving Reading with compassion, community connection, and local expertise.
Media Contact:
Deirdre Morales
Executive Director
RCTV Studios
131 Main Street, Suite 103
Reading, MA
