AKRON, Ohio – After six months of renovations, Goodyear Heights’ historic Linda Theatre will reopen on Halloween night with the premiere of indie film “The Mephistophiliac.”
The film is part horror movie, part psychological thriller and all local. Akron independent film actor Kevin Winstead co-wrote it with fellow Ohio actor Tim Novotny. Though they aren’t new to the movie scene, the film is the first writing credit for both.
“Tim and I have been acting in the independent film scene for roughly 14 years or so. So we had a concept for a character for a horror film that we haven’t seen on a big screen, ever. The film’s protagonist portrays the devil, but he doesn’t have any supernatural abilities–he’s a guy dealing with a lot of different personal traumas who self-medicates with alcohol until he blacks out. And he has dissociative identity disorder, so when he blacks out, he paints himself up like the devil and punishes people for what he believes their contributions to the downfall of society are,” Winstead told cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer.
Winstead is also the film’s lead actor and executive producer. Novotny’s additional contributions include co-producer, editor and cinematographer, according to Winstead. Felissa Rose of the cult film “Sleepaway Camp” co-stars as Winstead’s therapist in the film, which also includes horror actor Joe Bob Briggs.
“Tim and I based the character on personal experiences. So I took a handful of my own personal traumas that I experienced, which were not nearly as bad as what the character experiences, but we just put a magnifying glass over it. Because, obviously, I’m not a killer,” Winstead said. “So I can go back to these memories, and I can take the worst parts out of that and incorporate that into the character. And that was an easy thing to do, too. And I’m like, OK, so this guy’s going to talk a little bit about these things. And so, a good chunk of this movie is a lot of back and forth in one therapy session.”
The film has been in the works for the past decade and filming has taken place over the last three years. The film’s budget was $50,000, according to Winstead.
The film’s debut will coincide with the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the theater at 6 p.m., and the movie will premiere at 7 p.m. After the movie, attendees can attend a Q&A with Winstead, Novotny, Rose and Briggs.
The Afterlife Nightclub, located right next to the theater, will host an after-party and costume contest with prizes following the movie. The event will feature metal band Black Tar Superstar and rap group Pryde Music Ent. Tickets for both the movie premiere and after-party are $12 per person in advance or $15 at the door.
Theatre renovations
The movie premiere and after party are part of a collective effort to infuse nightlife into Goodyear Heights, according to Winstead.
“We want the theater to be doing more independent movie premieres instead of first-run movies,” theater owner David Schweyer said. “People are doing indie movies from here to Cleveland. We know a lot of producers, and directors and actors who are into that kind of thing. So I feel like the Linda Theatre is a beautiful hub for that kind of art.”
Recent renovations include a new movie projector, a new roof and an upgraded concession stand that will offer beer and wine for sale, according to Schweyer, who also owns the adjacent Afterlife Nightclub.
Additional work planned in the coming months includes restroom renovations, building a stage and adding murals to the space. A 20-year-old mural that is located in the existing theater will be preserved, according to Schweyer.
The theater can accommodate 500 people, and the Afterlife Nightclub can hold approximately 200 people, he said.
In addition to airing independent films, Schweyer plans to screen Saturday morning cartoons, tragedy films and movie reels. He is also planning to open the Last Laugh Comedy Club in the space following the completion of the stage, he said.
The theater’s revival is a full-circle moment for Schweyer, who grew up across the street.
“My grandmother’s name was Linda, and I used to joke with her that one day I was going to buy the theater and name it after her. So my driving force is just nostalgia in the neighborhood,” he said. “When I started building the Afterlife Nightclub, with Cafe Rewind inside, the Linda Theatre is directly next door. So I always thought about combining the two business models with the nightclub, the arcade, the pool hall, the restaurant–it’s basically the largest living room entertainment center you can have.”
Linda Theatre is located at 1745 Goodyear Blvd.