(SOUTH ORANGE, NJ) -- Movies will return to South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) in January 2026! Box Office Cinemas, a company with more than 40 years of experience operating movie theaters (including multiple locations across New York and New Jersey) will reopen and operate the cinemas at SOPAC beginning in January 2026. It will be their fifth location in the region.
“Box Office Cinemas has acquired the lease for the cinemas at SOPAC,” said James Kula, President of Box Office Cinemas. “We expect to open Box Office Cinemas at SOPAC on or before January 16, 2026, with additional upgrades continuing after opening. We are eager to reopen this location and excited to be part of their next chapter.”
“The reopening of our downtown movie theatre reflects both the strong voice of our community and the dedication of the SOPAC Board,” said Sheena Collum, Mayor of South Orange. “Over many months, families reached out urging us to find a new operator, sharing how deeply they value having a cinema in South Orange—particularly for children and family outings. Through a careful and responsive recruitment process, we are proud to welcome Box Office Cinemas. A thriving movie theatre also supports the vitality of our downtown, generating additional activity for local restaurants and shops and strengthening our small businesses. Maintaining a vibrant arts center at the heart of our community includes offering a quality movie-going experience, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to the theatre this January.”
SOPAC members will enjoy special benefits and discounts at Box Office Cinemas South Orange, with additional details to be announced in the coming weeks.
“We are thrilled to bring the movies back to South Orange,” said Lana Rogachevskaya, Executive Director of SOPAC. “Reopening the cinemas allows us to fully activate the SOPAC campus once again, offering a complete cultural experience that includes film alongside our live performing arts programming, Arts in Education programming, and exhibitions in the Herb + Milly Iris Gallery. We know how much the community has missed the cinema over the past several months, and we look forward to this long-awaited return.”
The South Orange Performing Arts Center offers audiences exhilarating and diverse arts entertainment in its intimate venue, serving as the cultural heartbeat of the greater South Orange/Maplewood region and contributing to the economic and social vibrancy of its highly diverse community.
SOPAC is an accessible cultural destination that presents world-class artists in an intimate and welcoming environment. The Jennifer & Tony Leitner Performance Hall is a 439-seat mainstage theatre with superb acoustics, sight lines and seating. Audiences remark that performances in this space are like having their favorite artists right in their own living room. Artists acknowledge that the atmosphere encourages conversations with audiences. The Loft at SOPAC is a 2,185 square-foot multi-purpose space used for performances, rehearsals, classes, and special events.
The unique architecture of SOPAC’s building, which includes a stunning 3-story glass-enclosed atrium, is also home to the Herb + Milly Iris Gallery. Beyond the building, SOPAC co-produces local events such as South Orange Summer Nights and serves students and schools through its arts education residencies.
SOPAC is invested in arts education. SOPAC serves students and schools in our region through a School Performance Series, performing Arts Residencies, and an annual juried art exhibit entitled INSPIRED MINDS: Young Artist Exhibition. SOPAC also collaborates with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts each year to host the Region 5 Poetry Out Loud competitions. The Seton Hall University Arts Council presents a diverse range of events at SOPAC with seasoned professionals, students, and faculty.
Nearly twenty years in the making, SOPAC first opened its doors in 2006. South Orange Village Trustees, in partnership with Seton Hall University, envisioned SOPAC as the center of an ambitious redevelopment plan. Through collaborative leadership and community support, SOPAC has become a cultural centerpiece for the region, an economic driver for the community, and a catalyst for artistic opportunity.
