Say you’re the parent of an 11- or 12-year-old and that bat/bar mitzvah date is looming ever closer. With so many details to cover – sending invitations and tracking RSVPs, making guest arrangements for out-of-town friends and family, keeping track of your child’s progress on their drash and Torah portion, perhaps learning one yourself – having to plan an after-party could feel like one thing too many.
Enter Cinetopia, a luxury multiplex movie theater and event space at Progress Ridge in Beaverton. Each of its four theaters features live music before every movie showing, state-of-the-art film and sound technology, luxuriously wide leather seats, an award-winning restaurant menu and an extensive selection of wines. Sounds great, you say, but I need a party space, not a movie theater.
Cinetopia’s unique Movie Parlor is designed to accommodate a variety of activities. “It’s the most popular of our four theaters,” says owner Rudyard Coltman. “It gets rented for birthday parties, corporate events, anniversaries, you name it. We do a lot of special events, especially sweet 16 and other coming-of-age parties.”
The Movie Parlor’s layout mirrors a celebrity’s home theater. It features picture frames and windows with high-end LED panels all around the room. “We create a theme for your event using these windows,” Coltman explains. “Our digital animators design backgrounds for the windows. For family photos, we can create a slideshow. Otherwise we can transport you to outer space, New York City, Autzen Stadium for a football party – with pretty much any backdrop.”The windows can also be used for gaming, always a popular option with teens. “Kids can play Xbox 360 or PlayStation games on a 30-foot screen, while other kids can simultaneously play their own games on other screens in the room.” If gaming isn’t your thing, Cinetopia offers a variety of musical choices: live, your own custom set lists, a DJ or even karaoke.
If you want an event that caters to both kids and adults, Cinetopia also offers the option of dual parties. “The adults can enjoy dinner in our restaurant, Vinotopia, just steps away from the kids’ party,” says Coltman. Kids and adults can take their pick from pizza and soda to a Happy Hour menu or even a four-course meal. “At Vinotopia, we use a lot of farm- to-table ingredients and everything is made from scratch.”
Coltman has devoted himself to creating the ultimate film-viewing experience. During his tenure as the owner of the Desert Historic Theater in Burns, OR, Coltman remembers, “I’d hear the same 15-20 complaints from people: the seats were too small and the rows were too close together; people felt like sardines. Customers also complained that their home technology had better picture quality than the movie theater, and a decade ago that was true. Back then, theaters were still screening movies on film, while Blu-ray provided a high-definition picture right in your living room. People also wanted better food, something more to choose from than popcorn and candy. None of these complaints were being addressed by theaters.” All of Cinetopia’s luxurious amenities – extra legroom, wider seats, a full restaurant menu and the best in movie technology – are Coltman’s response to these and other customer demands.
Cinetopia is located at Progress ridge, 2.3 miles from Washington Square Mall, near NW Murray and NW Scholls Ferry road. For more information, go to cinetopia.com/index.htm.
