by Jason Asbell
The Academy Award statuette’s nickname, “Oscar,” has three possible sources.
Actress Bette Davis claimed that the name derived from her observation that the backside of the statuette looked like that of her husband Harmon Oscar Nelson. Columnist Sidney Skolsky maintained that he gave the award its nickname. The name has also been attributed to academy librarian Margaret Herrick, who declared that the statuette looked like her Uncle Oscar.
Whoever is responsible for the playful moniker given the more formally known Academy Award of Merit, the Oscars is now synonymous with getting dressed up and geeking out over the movies.
The Civic Theatre, now it’s the 10th year of operation under the auspices of Nelson Civic Theatre Society, has made sure that each of those years (with the exception of a certain hiatus due to a certain global pandemic) has had an annual celebration of not only the Oscars, but of being able to share cinema together in our community.
We have had many challenges, but much more to celebrate in that time, and we are so happy to be continuing the tradition again this year. NCTS presents a family friendly and free live-stream screening of the 95th Oscars on March 12. Our Red Carpet Gala comes with a photo wall and professional photographer to capture you as you are, or in your swankiest duds or cosplay. Oscar prizes will be awarded for Best Dressed child and adult categories. Fill out an Oscar ballot for more chances to win excellent prizes for highest correct predictions.
And while you have to suffer through the insufferable commercial breaks in your living room, at the Civic’s community living room, commercial breaks will become a time of joyous song as patrons will have the opportunity to sing a song from the stable of nominated movies in our patented commercial break Karaoke hosted by Adam O. Thomas, creator of KCR’s Radio Karaoke.
Playing this week at The Civic Theatre, we have Michael B. Jordan vs. Jonathan Majors in Creed III, continuing the adventures of the Rocky franchise, whose first entry was incidentally the Oscar-winning best picture of 1977.
In The Shoebox Theatre, we finally bring in one of this year’s best picture nominated films, Women Talking, directed by Canada’s very own Sarah Polley. Once we finish that run, you will have had the chance to see everyone of this Oscar’s contenders on The Civic and Shoebox screen with the exception of Netflix’s All Quiet on the Western Front. And with the Oscar Nominated Shorts programs just wrapping up tonight, we’ve provided you every opportunity to rock that ballot.
While we celebrate movies together, we also have to celebrate the members, volunteers, staff, board of directors and all the patrons for supporting our beautiful non-profit community cinema these past 10 years.
I can’t wait to see you all gussied up on the red carpet on March 12 at 5 p.m. so I can thank and toast you personally with my ginger ale in hand; all ages family event remember?
Jason Asbell is the programming director and Oscars enthusiast for The Civic Theatre.