Community sharing memories of Rodgers Theatre in ticket contest

DAR/Samantha Tucker

Rick Yarbro doesn’t remember much about the 1960s movie, “Help,” featuring the Beatles. But the night of its release at Rodgers Theatre is clear.

“The movie came on and all the girls started screaming and yelling,” said Yarbro, 68, of Poplar Bluff. “The manager turned on the lights (and)... came out after the lights were on.”

The audience was told the movie would be stopped if they couldn’t calm down.

“Girls were still going crazy, but they showed the movie... It was crazy that night,” he said, wondering if anyone else shares this memory.

This is the second in a series of stories called “Memories of the Rodgers” running in the Daily American Republic between now and the Oct. 21 premiere of a locally filmed movie, directed by a Poplar Bluff native.

Those who share their memories with us are also entered to win a pair of tickets to one of two events: the premiere of “Herd,” a movie about a family overcoming hardship during a zombie apocalypse, or the Restore the Rodgers banquet Oct. 19.

Drawings will be held at noon Oct. 16, live on the DAR Facebook page.

Christine Sisk remembers her very first trip to the Rodgers. She was 6, and “Tron,” was on the screen.

“It was the best movie and first movie I ever remembered seeing,” said Sisk, 47, of Poplar Bluff. “For those who don’t remember, ‘Tron’ is about a young man who gets zapped and trapped in a video game. I mean how cool is that!!!!”

She also remembers the first time visiting the theater without her parents, at age 13. This time it was for “Bill and Ted’s Most Excellent Adventure,” a 1989 release.

The Rodgers banquet will be held Oct. 19.

The banquet will be held at the Black River Coliseum and will start at 6 p.m. Tickets are $30 in advance and $40 at the door. A table sponsorship is eight tickets, at a total of $500.

On Oct. 21, events will begin at 1 p.m. with a street festival, food trucks, children’s activities and more. A zombie 5K will also be held.

The evening event starts with a red carpet kickoff at 5 p.m. with filmmakers and members of the cast, who will join a question and answer session after the screening.

The screening of the movie will begin at 6:30 p.m. “Herd” is an R-rated movie. Tickets for the screening went on sale Friday via Eventbrite on the website herd.film.

Proceeds from these events will also help benefit the Rodgers restoration efforts.

This is the first time a movie of such local significance has been shown at the theatre, organizers believe. The director and co-writer, Steven Pierce, is a Poplar Bluff native.

To share your memories, and enter to win tickets to one of these events, either comment on a Remembering the Rodgers post on the Daily American Republic Facebook page, or email dailyamericanrepublic@darnews.com.

More memories will be shared in the coming weeks.

Members of the Rodgers board also hope photographs will be shared, especially of the interior of the drug store previously inside the theatre.