One of the most magnificent

home theaters in Cayman.

e a t u r e

Sitting in one of the most exclusive home

theaters in the Cayman Islands, it’s easy

to imagine you are on Broadway.

The multi-purpose entertainment room is

fitted out exactly like a professional theater,

from the curtains on the stage to the upper

balcony and right down to the popcorn.

“My intention was to build a theater that felt

like you were sitting in a Broadway show,” says

one of the owners. “I love Broadway.”

Built as an annex to their house, the state-of-

the-art room is used by the husband-and-wife

owners and their two teenage daughters to

watch movies on the big screen as well as put on

private stage performances.

“For special occasions, such as Father’s Day,

our girls do a mini-concert for us,” says their

mother. “We love it.”

Hosting EventsThe family also likes to welcome friends and

members of the wider community to enjoy

the facility, often hosting events in the home

theater.

“The room has been used for private concerts

by visiting artists, training seminars, Super

Bowl parties, World Cup parties, charity events

and church events,” says one of the owners.

Having both grown up in the Cayman

Islands, the owners have fond memories of

making their own home entertainment in

childhood days before the advent of multi-

channel television, cinema and the Internet.

“In those days, everyone told stories, and we

played the piano and sang in the evenings,” one

of the owner recalls.

And although times have changed

dramatically in little more than a generation,

they wanted their children to have a similar

experience of family and friends gathering

together.

“We decided that having a home theater

would be a nice place for our girls and their

friends to hang out,” says their mother.

DesignWhen planning the theater she researched

online and also read lots of magazine to get

ideas for the project.

When the design was finalized, the late well-

on broadwayBY CATHERINE MACGILLIVRAY

“My intention was to build a theater that felt like you were sitting in a Broadway show,”

– owner

Phot

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y St

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known Caymanian builder Denby Grooves

undertook the construction although, sadly, he

never lived to see it completed.

The room’s theatrical facade was built

in Florida, by a company called First

Impressions, then crated up, shipped down

and assembled onsite.

Audio and visual engineering was

undertaken by Dennis Erskine of Erskine Group

from Atlanta, while Tony Golden of Mobile

Technology Co. in Atlanta was responsible for

the programming.

Meanwhile, Tony Coe from The Installation

Company in Cayman was the local contractor

who coordinated the project, took care of all the

cabling and carries out the maintenance.

DécorThe theater can accommodate 20 in the main

auditorium, while there are a further four seats

in the balcony above.

Fourteen of the leather seats downstairs have

a footrest and can recline to whichever angle

is most comfortable to watch a performance, Tec

h fa

cts

The 20-seat auditorium with balcony above.

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Details in the theater.

ICreating a cinema

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while six chairs at the “buddy bar” are designed for drinks before a screening or while watching a sporting event.

Just like a Broadway theater, the walls are covered with a rich burgundy-colored fabric with opulent stage curtains to match.

The dramatic “dusk ’til dawn” ceiling provides the crowning glory on the theater, with fiber optics that transform it into a celestial sky changing from sunset through to sunrise, complete with twinkling stars and shooting stars.

At the center of this stunning feature is a chandelier that, at the touch of a button, can be lowered for cleaning or to change the bulbs.

“It reminds me of The Phantom of the Opera,” says one of the owners, who has seen a great many shows in New York and other cities, her favorite being The Sound of Music.

MoviesAnd when it comes to selecting a movie, there is an extensive list to choose from with everything accessed on a computerized-system by a hand-held remote control.

“The girls and their friends seem to enjoy the scary movies best of all,” says the girls’ mother, who cites Star Trek as her own top choice.

A mini-bar and kitchenette means that snacks and drinks are on hand for refreshments during a performance, with a popcorn-maker to ensure everyone has a true cinema experience.

There is even a powder room in which the mirror transforms into a 32-inch screen so that you don’t miss a moment of the movie if you need to take a bathroom break.

The family uses the theater at least once a week, preferring the privacy of their own home with its top-notch technology, to going to the cinema.

“Our seats recline so it is more comfortable,” says one of the owners. “I also think we have much better sound. The acoustics of the theater are amazing.”

Theater entrance.

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