Sterling Theater upgrading seating, preparing for ‘Minecraft’ movie pajama party

STERLING — The Sterling Theater is almost finished with renovations, including new floors and upgraded seating.

Theater manager Lori VanOosten said that when the work is finished later this week, both of the theater’s two viewing rooms will each feature 165 seats, including 20 recliners, 117 rocker-back lounge chairs and seating for 28 people in the tabletop area.

The project started with tearing out the old seating and performing an asbestos abatement of the tile floors, paving the way for Brothers Flooring of Rock Falls to install new floors in both viewing rooms earlier this month.

“This has been on our wish list for years and if it wasn’t for [American Rescue Plan Act] grant funds, this would still be on the wish list,” VanOosten said. “We want people to come back to the theater and not have to go out of town to get those big comfy recliner seats.”

The Sterling Theater is expected to reopen Thursday, April 3, with a special pajama party premiere of "A Minecraft Movie,“ and VanOosten highly suggests preordering tickets for the event.

“We’ll show it in both theaters, one at 6:30 p.m. and one at 7 p.m.,” VanOosten said. “Then, that weekend going in, the second movie will be ‘The Last Supper’ for one weekend only, and then we’ll switch to ‘The Amateur’ the following week.”

While the rocker-back lounge chairs will be on a first-come, first-served basis, the recliners and tabletop area seating, which feature a $2 upcharge, will automatically be assigned to customers when they buy their tickets.

“We have a lot of people who want to sit in the tabletop area and regularly ask us to reserve them a seat for a show,” VanOosten said. “This way they can do it themselves.”

Tickets can be bought at the theater, 402 Locust St., or online at sterlingtheaters.com. For information, call 815-632-3708.