Villa Theatre gets speakers running in time for Easter Sunday music

Aside from the Phillips County Sheriff’s Office and a few in the know, it was a surprise to many when music came bellowing through and off of the buildings on Saturday afternoon…the looks on some of the people’s faces in the Albertsons’ parking included confusion and pleasant surprise, to name just a few.

About six hours prior to the music starting, Villa Theatre’s new owner Greg Kirkwood sits in his new office in the theatre’s building (the old H&R Block office). He and his wife, Jan, bought the Villa earlier this year after the couple retired from the funeral home business last December and since then have continued to renovate and improve the movie house before having to shut down operations because of first, a camera malfunction, and then second, the COVID-19 virus that has shuttered many Phillips County businesses. (The snack bar stays open on most weekdays at the Villa, allowing for curbside delivery for those with a popcorn and soda hankering.)

On Saturday, Kirkwood is waiting for Logan Kent to arrive so he can begin the theatre’s latest endeavor of getting the outside speaker system once again functioning in a tip of the hat to the old days at the Villa.

“I’ve got four sewer speakers,” Kirkwood said. “One of the four I have replaced is definitely one of the original 1955 speakers.”

The Villa Theatre opened in Phillips County in 1955 — the same year Disneyland dazzled America and the world — and dazzled movie goers that year in Malta and just about every year since. The theatre has seen several owners over the years and many changes including new bathrooms, seating, and a new concession stand since reopening this year after being shuttered for several months. One thing Kirkwood has been looking forward to bringing back was the surround sound outside of the theatre (above the marquee …which is also getting replaced in the coming weeks) that were turned on at 6:30 p.m. way back when to announce to the townspeople that the main movie feature of the night would be starting in 30 minutes and the theatre was open for business.

“We have a 250 amplifier to push the new speakers,” Kirkwood said. “Back in the 1950s, kids walked everywhere, so the (the Villa) would play ‘Stars and Stripes’ forever to let the families know that the showhouse is open and you can send the kids a’walking. That’s one thing that I wanted to bring back…though a lot of the kids probably won’t be walking but getting rides down here.”

Because the Villa Theatre has been closed since the second week of March and has remained closed following Montana Governor Steve Bullock’s stay-at-home proclamation to deal with the COVID-19 virus. Kirkwood, however, thought Easter Sunday would be a nice time to get the “newer” speakers up and running and around 6 p.m. on Saturday evening — once Kent had everything in working order — the song ‘Basics of Life’, a Contemporary Christian song, rang from atop of the Villa and filled the streets of Malta.

“My staff, my wife and I decided we wanted to do something for Easter and we were hoping to get these up in time to play Easter music,” Kirkwood said. “Today, Saturday, will be a short test-run.”

And that they did.

Nearing the conclusion of the Little White Church’s (the Villa’s neighbors to the east) congregation members ringing their church bell from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m., the Easter Music Kirkwood had hoped to share echoed throughout parts of Malta.

"We just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Easter," said Kirkwood.