After eleven months of fundraising and real estate negotiations, MTW officially took ownership of both the Ellen Theatre and Rialto Theatre, which could only be purchased as a pair, on September 12th of 2005.

Owned by the Russell family since the 1930s, the Ellen and Rialto theatres have been used to show movies for the last few decades. However, with the possibility of Carmike Cinema not renewing their lease, the fate of the theatres was in question. Last November, MTW and Mike McKenna of McKenna Realty contacted the owners to learn the status of the buildings.

Greg Russell of Minnesota and spokesperson for the group of owners, commented, "When we heard what Montana TheatreWorks had planned for the Ellen, we couldn't have been happier." Those plans include returning the Ellen to a glorious, live stage venue, serving as a home for MTW productions as well as a performing arts center for various community and professional groups. Based on that initial conversation, an agreement to sell the theatres to MTW was made almost immediately. Now all MTW had to do was raise enough funds. Although the amount needed was high, especially for an all-volunteer community theatre group, considering both properties are located in downtown Bozeman, the negotiated price was extremely reasonable.

A great deal of success for the project goes to three very bighearted community members. Clyde Park rancher and former MTW board president Elise Donohue joined the campaign last November, soon followed by Karen and Klein Gilhousen, with their generous contribution on behalf of the Gilhousen Family Foundation. Without these three extraordinary individuals, it's safe to say the fate of the Ellen would still be up in the air. "Thanks" seems hardly adequate. If you know these fine folks, make sure you tell them how much the entire community appreciates their generosity.

Currently, the Ellen is under lease to Carmike Cinema until 2010. However, a Carmike executive has said that the film exhibitor is interested in vacating the Ellen early, perhaps even sharing the space with Montana TheatreWorks. In the meantime, the Rialto theatre is no longer part of the Carmike lease, and MTW is currently rennovating that space. In addition to donating all the Rialto seats to MTW, Carmike was also kind enough to allow the Bozeman Film Festival to move to one of its screens at its Campus location.

How Can You Help? The Ellen Project Fund has been established to help renovate the beautiful Ellen Theatre and return it to a majestic showplace, a true jewel in the crown of downtown Bozeman. If you would like to contribute to this fund, just give Betty Cure of Smith-Barney a call at 522-2040. Remember, no donation is too small and anything you give is tax-deductible. MTW will be happy to thank you in their next show program - and you will be part of creating a Bozeman legacy that will last for years to come.

This entire project was a true community effort and Montana TheatreWorks would like to thank the following people for playing a key role in making this dream a reality: