Inspire Theater aims to become cultural draw downtown

What do you get when you combine four bars, a coffee shop and a theater?

Inspire Theater.

For the past year, the establishment has worked to offer more than a cup of coffee or a cocktail by bringing programing to the downtown area, such as movies and a speakers’ series.

“I think the community liked what we were bringing,” Jennifer Cornthwaite, the theater’s owner and operator, says. “And we are going to continue to bring these things.”

Inspired is part of the Future Restaurant Group, owned by Cornthwaite and her husband, Michael Cornthwaite, and includes other establishments such as Downtown Cocktail Room, The Beat Coffeehouse and Oscar’s Beef Booze and Broads.

The 150-seat theater on the corner of Fremont Street and Las Vegas Boulevard opened at the end of 2013 and began its mission to bring film screenings, concerts and a variety of other offerings to the stage.

Every Wednesday, Inspire Theater hosts its Boozy Movie series — free entry with the purchase of a cocktail — at 7 p.m.

Upcoming movies include “The Big Lebowski” on Jan. 14, “Fight Club” on Jan. 21 and “The Outsiders” on Jan 28.

Cornthwaite says she is proud to see the goals they had for opening the theater achieved.

Two ideas served as the driving force behind Inspire, Cornthwaite says. The first was intentional programming.

“We wanted it to be thought-driven and interesting programming,” she says. “We never wanted it to just be some comedy hour every Thursday night, not that there is anything wrong with that.”

A speakers’ series is another of Inspire’s efforts to be distinctive.

On Feb. 2, it plans to feature a new series with entertainment industry people such as Robin Leach, Anita Mann, Nicole Kaplan, Mac King, Myron Martin and Bob Anderson.

Cornthwaite says Inspire has been able to offer a variety of concerts, too.

During the Life is Beautiful music, food and art festival in October, it had bands that were performing at the event, including Broken Bells and Arctic Monkeys, do smaller performances in the theater.

“It is probably one of the more exciting things we’ve done,” she says.

Though Inspire Theater has regular film showings, in the past year there also were themed series. In fall 2014, it hosted a series featuring seven quintessential Las Vegas movies such as “Casino” and “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.”

But Cornthwaite says the events went beyond showing movies.

“Instead of just shows, we added thought-provoking content,” she says, including speakers such as former Mayor Oscar Goodman to offer commentary on the subject.

“We are going to continue doing things like that,” she says.

Cornthwaites wanted to consider the performers, whether speakers or musicians. She says she doesn’t want artists to assume because it’s a downtown venue that it feels second-rate.

“It might not be The Smith Center,” she says. “But we added touches with the performer in mind. We have a shower in the green room to make it as comfortable as possible. It’s also easier access to the stage for artists.”

Cornthwaite is excited to see what develops in 2015. Though some events have been scheduled, she says they are still finalizing others. She says they are looking into bringing smaller productions to the theater, too.

Cornthwaite says as time goes by and Inspire Theater becomes better known, it will add to downtown’s culture. She hopes with more offerings, it will become an epicenter for entertainment and culture.

“I think in a few more years, we will be that place,” she says.

Contact reporter Michael Lyle at mlyle@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5201. Follow @mjlyle on Twitter.