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"Bring Up the Lights on West Broadway"
The Capri Theater Renaissance Project
“With a visionary plan calling for a new marquee, new programs, renovation, and an outdoor plaza, The Capri Theater will become a beacon for changing times on West Broadway. The life of this theater will flow onto the street and influence the design, streetscape, public art…as a further sign that things are changing for the better. On West Broadway. On the Northside. And in Minneapolis.” Mayor R.T.Rybak, at Plymouth Christian Youth Center’s (PCYC) Annual Meeting, October 2006.
In 2006, as a fundamental part of its strategic plan, Plymouth Christian Youth Center’s (PCYC) Board of Directors adopted a vision that calls for a Capri Theater Renaissance which will “bring up the lights” on a year-round arts program that inspires young people, develops their skills, builds community and draws thousands of youth and adults to a top-notch North Minneapolis performance venue on West Broadway.
Already there is excitement among children who want to learn, adults in search of safe neighborhood entertainment, artists looking for a venue, educators who know the power of art to reach students, and community leaders who are rebuilding the Northside on its traditional assets. Anne Long, executive director of PCYC, calls the Capri “the manifestation of the pent up creative energy in a neighborhood on the move.”
More simply, Alfred Hartwell, a 12-year-old participant in PCYC’s Cultural Arts Program, says “performing onstage at The Capri Theater is like winning the Super Bowl!”
The principles outlined in the PCYC's 2007-2012 strategic plans outlines are:
- Youth development with a heavy emphasis on youth engagement is woven into every aspect of Capri operations and programming.
- The Capri is an attractive and affordable gathering place for the whole community.
- A meaningful past, present and future is explored through the arts, as a touchpoint for all communities across time who know North Minneapolis as home.
- The Capri is a hub and a showcase for North Minneapolis area talent and a venue for performers and artists from across the city and around the world.
A long-beloved North Minneapolis asset is the PCYC-owned Capri Theater, located beside PCYC’s recently-built school/community center/administrative campus. The Capri opened its doors in 1927 as the last of the 13 movie theaters built in North Minneapolis and is, today, the only one still standing. PCYC acquired ownership of the Capri in 1984, has maintained the facility, and has provided modest, sporadic arts programming through the years.
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