Christopher Banks did not initially plan on acting in his movie, “The Art of Theatrical Ushery,” in addition to writing, directing and producing it.
Plans to shoot the comedy about a movie theater usher who takes his job too seriously could not be shelved even when the lead actor got sent to the hospital with a shellfish allergy the night before shooting.
Banks, who has now completed two movies since the July 2006 wrap-up of “The Art of Theatrical Ushery,” figured he could play the lead – he knew the aggressive oddball of an usher more than anyone, after all.
“The Art of Theatrical Ushery” follows the “under-overachieving” usher as he threateningly regulates the everyday movie-goers. Some may say he is just doing his job as he scissor-kicks patrons’ legs down from the backs of the stadium seating chair and enforces his no-tolerance rule for silence during the movie.
The more sympathetic among us might feel he takes it too far when he gives parking tickets to handicapped drivers parking in non-handicapped spaces outside the theater.
No matter how you feel personally about the 32-year-old strict usher, the movie itself will make you laugh in its absurdity. The strangest part of Banks’ all too real rule-enforcing character?
He doesn’t even like movies.
“The Art of Theatrical Ushery” will play at Regal Valley River Center Stadium 15 Theater 13 on Friday, Oct. 5 at 1 p.m.