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The Arcada Theater is located in central, downtown St. Charles. On the outside of the Arcada is a marquee hanging high above the sidewalk that displays the current feature.As you walk through the entrance, you enter a long marbled hallway. On one side there are shops, and on the other side there are colorful posters describing coming attractions. Near the end of the hallway is an old ticket window and an elevator that are no longer in use. Sandwiched between the theater and the hallway is the area to purchase tickets and the concession stand. The smell of fresh popcorn fills the air. You can almost taste it melting in your mouth--unless it really is!
After purchasing your ticket and treats, you are ready to enter the theater. Small lights guide your way down the aisle. Cool air looms around you. People are talking. People are eating. There is noise everywhere. You find a soft, velvet-like red seat and sit down. Looking around, you see theater boxes on each side with serapes draped
on the railings. Inside the boxes are organ pipes. If you are lucky, you have picked a day when an organ rises from the orchestra pit in front of the screen and music is played before the show begins. You lean back and look up. A circular dome is recessed in the center of the ceiling with clouds inside. A railing borders the inside of the dome like a fence. Keeping with the Spanish motif, the railing is adorned with serapes and intertwining vines.The lights begin to dim and you notice that the clouds disappear and stars begin to shine in their place. The shadow from the balcony overhead creeps across the floor as the room continues to darken. Slowly the talking stops, and the movie begins. The sound blares because of the surround sound. You lean back, grab some popcorn, and get ready to enjoy the show. What a wonderful theater!
Mrs. Reed's 5th grade
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