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community newspaper
Volume 17, Number 20 | July 3-9, 2025
Crystal dreamin’
Kate Schwerin and Will Grandbois have been floored by the community support. Photo by Mark Burrows
Fresh nonprofit aims to save and sustain the Crystal Theatre JAMES STEINDLER Contributing Editor
Since they listed the Crystal Theatre for sale almost two years ago, owners Bob and Kathy Ezra have been intentional about any transition from the get-go. Having been the theater’s stewards for the past 40 years, they don’t want to see it fall into the wrong hands — and they aren’t alone in that. Back in September of last year, the Calaway Room at the Third Street Center hosted a few dozen folks, including the Ezras sitting quietly in the back,
who all showed up for the sake of preserving the Crystal. It was fitting that one of their long-time employees, Will Grandbois, was at the front of the room introducing the Crystal Theatre Alliance (CTA), a nonprofit in formation meant to save and sustain the theater for years to come. “I had several prominent moments of my life in the Crystal Theatre,” Grandbois later told The Sopris Sun — from asking his childhood neighbor to marry him at 4 years old to sharing the theater with his
family alone one Christmas Day for a screening of “The Muppet Christmas Carol.” Under CTA, Grandbois will step into the managing role at the theater. At the September meeting, he was standing alongside Kate Schwerin, CTA’s executive director, who has an extensive background in producing and advertising. She has roots in Colorado, too, with her mother’s side of the family being from here. Her brother and father moved to the Valley back in the early 2000s, and, long story short, the last time she visited she decided to stick around. The excitement in the room was prevalent. At one point a woman piped in, “I’ll work for
free if I can watch movies.” And from the sound of it, she won’t be disappointed. “There will be many ways to participate and volunteer, and that’s really what’s going to keep the theater going,” Schwerin said during a recent interview. Whether that means popping popcorn, holding down the ticket booth, helping with special events or offering programming, the possibilities to get involved are seemingly endless. CTA has been laying the groundwork since that September meeting, undergoing a quiet fundraising campaign. At the time of this article, CTA is going public and beginning its crowdfunding phase. The goal is to
raise $500,000, including what they’ve already netted, by this fall to purchase the business at $99,000, commit to a multiyear lease and “ensure it’s a sustainable, versatile community resource moving forward.” Schwerin filed for nonprofit status on Nov. 1, but in the meantime CTA is operating under the Third Street Center as a fiscal sponsor. The backing of the Ezras means a great deal to the CTA partners. “We didn’t set out thinking of a nonprofit, but it became apparent that that was the model that could have the greatest chance for success,” stated Kathy. “The CTA understands the history of continued on page 7