A look at theatre7's seven most successful stories of the year

Dec. 31, 2011 - PRLog -- What started out as a small arthouse movie theater has turned into what Las Vegas Weekly critic Josh Bell calls 2011's "best new development in local film." It was just 10 months ago, Emmy Award winning television producer and independent filmmaker Derek Stonebarger opened theatre7 (1406 South 3rd Street, Las Vegas, NV 89104) as a place to screen his film I.M. Caravaggio. Since then, Stonebarger has emerged as an arts activist and theatre7 has become the happening place for indie film in Southern Nevada.

With the help of programmer Chad Clinton Freeman, the art's district venue has held seven film festivals, including Viscera and CineKink, screened several hundred movies, including several world, U.S. and city premieres like the January 27-28 screenings of Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos, and hosted a slew of successful stage productions, including Legacy of the Tiger Mother.

As 2011 comes to a close, Stonebarger and Freeman look back at what they see are the venue's seven most successful stories of the year.

7. Films that Feed - A socially conscious film festival held in December, Freeman says he was happy with the first year event and is extremely excited about what it can grow to in the future. The festival screened films that dealt with the issues of homelessness, war, the environment and more, and rather than sell tickets, collected canned goods and toys as the price of admission. theatre7 was able to donate 230 pounds of food to Three Square and collected 137 new toys for Toys for Tots.

6. VIFF! - The Vegas Indie Film Fest! was held partly at the Orleans hotel and casino, but the event was a theatre7 production and three of the five festival days were held at the venue. Highlights of the festival were a night dedicated to independent film legend Ted V. Mikels, who had his hands immortilized in concrete, appearances by Wayne Newton and Bentley the monkey, and the world premiere of Sean Jackson's Bubblegum & Broken Fingers. At the close of the festival, Golden Bulb winner 40 West played for seven straight days at theatre7. An upcoming VIFF! screening in February will feature the award-winning documentary Charge.

5. Darryl Martin Art Gallery -  For six months, Darryl Martin did double duty as both artist and curator of the art gallery at theatre7. But by September, the gallery was too successful for him to oversee by himself. After an extensive search, Martin found Vanessa Juarez and under her watch the gallery has continued to grow. Currently Martin's work, photographs by internationally exhibited and published art photographer Sita Mae of Grand Rapids, Michigan and Alan Goya of Boulder City, who has had images reproduced in Better Homes and Garden, Sunset Magazine and many others, are on display. Martin paints live each First Friday, the next being January 6. The gallery will host it's first big exhibit - Eyob Mergia's The Inner Voice, January 20-24.å

4. Oscar: A Good Man - The original comedy inspired by the life and times of the modern day Las Vegas icon Oscar Goodman, landed theatre7 on the front page of the Los Angeles Times in May. Stonebarger starred as Oscar Goodfella in the play and was one of the creators of the production, which was written and directed by Ryan Eicher.  The fun and light-hearted tribute to the “Happiest Mayor in the Universe” worked as a nice send off to Oscar Goodman and a welcome to his wife Carolyn, who won the city's mayoral election in June. Oscar Goodman, who has since become Vegas' "tourism ambassador," inspired Oscar’s Beef, Booze & Broads restaurant and will possibly become a reality TV star with a new court show called Vegas Night Court, dropped by a play rehearsal being broadcast on the morning news to give Oscar: A Good Man his approval. Carolyn was later quoted as saying Oscar was "talking about the play a bunch."

3. PollyGrind - The controversial and critically acclaimed underground film festival screened more than 100 films and gave away distribution contracts from Breaking Glass Pictures. Since the event in October, five of the feature films screened have signed DVD distribution deals and two features have been banned in other countries. Additionally, the event featured a kickoff concert, featuring Las Vegas band The Roxy Gunn Project. Roxy and company caught the eye of cult filmmaker Albert Pyun, who by month's end featured them in his most recent film Road to Hell and its soundtrack. Also at the kickoff, retired porn star Jenny Hendrix performed a monologue, which has led to mainstream role talks. A special PollyGrind Rewind weekend will feature grand jury winner The Bunny Game, January 13, and audience favorite Dear God No!, January 14.

2. First Friday Down Third Street - In May, Stonebarger supplied valley television stations with footage after more than 100 cars were illegally towed from downtown parking lots, including the lot behind theatre7. Thanks to the footage, the tow truck company had to refund all the drivers involved. It wasn't the theater's first involvement with First Friday, but it was the event that made the masses take notice of the venue. Stonebarger also saw that he was able to make a difference. So when it was announced First Friday was taking a two-month hiatus, he started First Friday South, which made its debut August 5 with a car show and free vending for artists in front of theatre7. By October, First Friday was taken over by Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh, partner Fred Mossler, developer Andrew Donner, and marketer Joey Vanas. theatre7 is now the center of First Friday Down Third Street with its Outdoor Cinema.

1. The Will Edwards Show - July saw the debut of The Will Edwards Show, part talk show, part game show, part sketch comedy show and then some with special guests and musical guests. Nine shows later, The Strip came calling. The show, which has been called Late Night with Jimmy Fallon meets Chappelle's Show, announced on December 14 that its new home would be the Westin Casuarina hotel and casino on Flamingo between Las Vegas Boulevard and Koval. "We are very happy to have helped Will get this thing going," Freeman said. "We hope he ends up being one of those great entertaining headliners of Vegas like Danny Ganns, Terry Fator, or Lance Burton."

Honorable Mentions: After world premiering in April at theatre7, One Long Day won Best Action Sequence at the Action on Film International Film Festival in Los Angeles. Thor at the Bus Stop, in theatre7's screening rotation since March, recently landed a DVD distribution contract, as did Tales of an Ancient Empire after its premiere in June, while I.M. Caravaggio screened in New York City as part of the third annual NewFilmmakers Summer Fest.

For more information on theatre7, visit http://www.theatre7lv.com/ or call 702-568-9663.

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Located near the "Downtown Las Vegas" sign, theatre7 is an artlover's and indie film fan's paradise. Owned, programmed and operated by filmmakers, theatre7 screens independent films, doubles as an art gallery and host live entertainment.