Pop Smart - Tonight at the Plaza: Lael Pastore meets Willie Wonka

Two fantasy worlds collide tonight at the Plaza Theatre at its “Art Movie and an Opening” series, with the art of Lael Pastore going up on the walls before a screening of Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

“We want to have events at the Plaza that are more than just watching a movie,” Plaza co-owner Jonathan Rej says in an email interview. “A big reason we go to the theater other than just renting the DVD is for the social environment. I like to take that a little further and add an interactive element to coming to our theater. With the Art Opening and a Movie series, people can come early, see art that relates to the film on some level, talk to people, meet the artist, then watch a great film. … People might come see one of their favorite classic films without knowing about the event tied to it and end up having a better experience, which is more personal and interactive. It ends up being more fun when the social aspect is heightened.”