by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — This weekend an historic event is going to happen for a business that has had many of them over its lifetime.

The Wellington Regent Theater at 114 W. Lincoln has arrived into the digital age.

Coincidentally, the business on Lincoln will be showing “Lincoln,” (Trailer preview is below)  – the first ever film on The Regent’s new $60,000+ digital projector.  The Oscar nominated historical epic  that has generated buzz everywhere will be played at the Regent in new splendor on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights at 7 p.m.

The digital projector opens up a whole new set of possibilities for the Regent Theater.

Not only will it allow the Regent theater group to secure a larger breadth of blockbuster movies but get them in a more timely matter. It also diversifies what the Regent can now show. The theater can now show pay-per-view events, or high-resolution televised sporting events, or small Independent films that were not available to local viewers. Local advertisers can now show their wares during the pre-showings.

“Let’s just say we received some generous anonymous donations and great support from our advertisers,” said J.C. Long, a Regent Theater board member.

The days of film – whether it be on a hand-held camera or in a movie projector – is now fading into history. The Regent 35mm projector, which was dismantled on Monday to make way for the digital system had become a hodgepodge of parts from the 1940s, 70s and 80s. The projector —  along with its accompanying large silver turnstile reel that held the film print —, is now basically a museum relic.

“It will make a great Lazy Susan,” joked Jerry Fike, Regent Theater manager, about the turnstile reel.

Obtaining the digital projector has been a work in progress for the theater board. The Regent reopened in 2010 after it had been closed for several years. During its rebirth, even in its remodeled splendor, the Regent Theater board knew there was unfinished business. A digital projector was needed or the theater couldn’t survive.

Long and Colby Zeka started promoting the idea as far back as August of 2011. Throughout the next 18 months, the theater has held various fundraisers and has sought many donations. In the meantime, the theater kept biding time, keeping the film projector running until enough funds were available to make a down payment on new system and procure it. Long said the projector is still not paid for and the board is still soliciting funds.

As 2011 turned to 2012 turned to 2013, the number of available prints for a movie was diminishing, and the selection of movies period was shrinking. And when a couple of major studios said they were no longer going to offer the blockbuster family entertainment flicks that sell so well in Wellington, a move had to be made.

Fike said it was a case of supply and demand. Fewer theaters were doing film, therefore the studios had no incentives to produce more film. Regent officials didn’t even know the movie they were going to get three days before the showing because so few prints were out there.

Now with a digital projector, theater goers will have the kind of movie experience it has while going to the Warren Theaters in Wichita, without the hassle of driving up there. The Regent will have a crisper picture, and a more dynamic surround sound. The theater will also know what films it will be getting weeks in advance.

“Today in this age of instant gratification, films can have a shelf life of three weeks,” Fike said. “By the time we got some films it was way past that. Now we can show movies on the nights they open.”

Best Picture Oscar Nominee Lincoln is this weekend. Les Miserables, another movie up for Best Picture, will be shown on the Feb. 15 weekend. Mama Movie is slated for Feb. 22. You see… now you can plan for these movies.

Fike also said with the digital projector he can get pay-per-view events shown at the theater whether it be a MMA Fight or a rock concert. Fike will continue to show football games which has been a popular feature in years past – only with a more dynamic picture to view.

“The theater is part of growing up in Wellington,” Zeka said. “It’s great we can continue this tradition for our children.”