Bridging the Gap: Next Act Cinema is the first Black owned movie theater in the Baltimore area

Robert Wright and Anthony Fykes didn't set out to be the first black owners of a movie theater in Maryland.

They just wanted to open a business that could be enjoyed by their family friends and the community.

BLACK OWNERS OF A MOVIETHEATER IN MARYLAND, THEY JUSTWANTED TO OPEN A BUSINESS THATCOULD BE ENJOYED BY THEIRFAMILIES, FRIENDS AND THECOMMUNITY.

10:25 The communityhas been great.

The communityhas been extremely extremelysupportive of the theater.We're working constantly tomake sure that we give a goodproduct.

But its been goingbeyond our expectations TRACK:REHABBING THE ENTIRE BUILDINGAND CREATING A NOSTALGIC YETSHEEK FEEL, NEXT ACT CINEMA ISCARVING A LANE OF IT'S OWN,SERVING UP MARYLAND CUISINESLIKE CRAB CAKES AND THEBALTIMORE CLUB ALONG SIDEOTHER LOCALLY CRAFTED TREATS.14:28: We wanted somethingthat was a lot more boutique.We didn't want to be a regal.We didn't want to be a AMC.

Wewanted to be small because wewanted guest to feel like wewere being very attentive tothem.

29:56 This theater isone of two theaters in thebuilding... Originaly therewere about 80 seats in thistheater so what we did tocreate that boutique settingis we brought that number downto about 40.

Another thingthat was really important tous was to make sure that wehad these revolving tables andwe wanted to have leatherseats as well.

TRACK: WHEN ITCAME TO BEING THE FIRST BLACKOWNED THEATER IN THE AREA, ITDIDN'T HIT HOME FOR ROB ANDANTHONY UNTIL A VIRALINSTAGRAM POST INSERTINSTAGRAM VIDEO━ THIS IS USWATCHING US INSIDE OF US 11:40It wasn't until we launchedthe movie particularly earlyon" US " that we really sawthe impact and what this meantand then once we startedgetting a lot more publicityabout this being the firstblack owned theater inMaryland as well as one or twoor three in the country thatmeant a lot and so we believenow that it's extremelyempowering 21:36 it's reallyimportant for us to make surethat we get out our message,our story, Our brilliantactresses and actors out topeople so that they can see italso.

But we also are workingwith a lot of local businessowners too.

TRACK: THISBUSINESS VENTURE THAT STARTEDAMONGST TWO FRIENDS WHO MET INCORPORATE AMERICA, IS NOWBRIDGING GAPS AND CREATING NEWOPPORTUNITIES FOR OTHER SMALLBUSINESS OWNERS AND ARTIST.19:13 we're doing a lot ofevents now.

So for example wedo live jazz, happy hours,kareoke, and comedy shows,birthday parties.

So that inand of its self is veryrewarding.

19:40 The live jazzthat we had a couple of weeksago one of the eployees hereRay Reddik is actually akeyboardist in that band.

NATPOP: BAND VIDEO 23:30: Ialways tell people we'resitting on the shoulders ofpeople before us but we'realso holding hands with thepeople that are here