The Historic Buskirk-Chumley Theater

The Starlight Drive-In

The John Waldron Arts Center

The Bloomington Playwrights Project

The Haunted History of the Old Indiana Theater





Order your Dark Carnival
T-Shirt today!

Only $9.99

Don't miss your chance to get a limited edition Dark Carnival T-shirt. We're only making a limited quantity of these, and once they're gone, they're gone!

Save Shipping - Order yours and have it waiting for you at the box office (or we can send it to you, S&H extra.)

Buy It HERE




The Dark Carnival organizers are working with select local hotels to offer discount room rates for our guests and patrons:

Partner Hotels

Fourwinds Resort and Marina
Phone: 812-824-9911
Address: 9301 S. Fairfax Road, Bloomington, Indiana 47401
Special Room Rates: (must mention "Dark Carnival")
$109/night (or $119 for lakefront)
Must Make Reservations by Sept. 25th


Patriot Inn (www.patriotinn.com)
Phonre: 812-829-0400
Address: 10 N. Crane Ave., Spencer, Indiana 47460
Special Room Rates: (must mention "Dark Carnival")
$52/night
This hotel is about 25 minutes from Bloomington.
Reservations should be made ASAP.

Other Hotels

Red Bud Inn (Nashville Indiana)
About 25 minutes from Bloomington
Phone: 812-988-1661
Room Rates: (must book 2 nights)
$75-85/night


Indigo Hotel (Columbus, Indiana)
About 40 minutes from Bloomington
Phone: 812-375-9100
Special Room Rates (Must book online to get Dark Carnival discount)
CLICK HERE
$119/night (until Sept 20th)




Directions and info for the Historic Buskirk-Chumley Theater:
Forget so called 'film festivals' that screen movies in a hotel conference room. The Dark Carnival is pleased to present our screenings at the historic Buskirk-Chumley Theater in downtown Bloomington.

The Buskirk-Chumley is a classic 1940s era movie house that's been updated with a state-of-the art sound system, digital projection and a full size 30 foot by 20 foot screen.

DIRECTIONS:

From Indianapolis, take I-465 South to the State Road 37 South exit. Exit onto highway 46 East and travel to the second stoplight. Turn right on College Avenue and continue South until reaching the courthouse square. Make a left ( east ) on Kirkwood Avenue ( 5th Street ). The theater is just 1/2 block east of the square at 114 East Kirkwood.

From the south / Bedford, head North on State Road 37 until exiting onto the 3rd St. exit. Head east on 3rd St. and it will flow directly into 5th Street. Travel East on 5th St., towards the courthouse square, crossing College St. & Walnut St. The theater is located 1/2 block east of the square on Kirkwood Ave. ( 5th St.)



Dark Carnival will be presenting filmmaking workshops and screenings at the Bishop (formerly Cinemat screening room on Friday, October 2nd beginning at 6pm. NOTE: seating is extremely limited, so be sure to arrive early.

ABOUT THE BISHOP: The Bishop is a brand spanking new performance and screening space, with an excellent selection of domestic and imported beers.

DIRECTIONS:

The Bishop is on Walnut and 4th Street, right around the corner from the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. For driving directions, see the Buskirk-Chumley above.



Directions and info for the Bloomington Playwrights Project:
The Dark Carnival will be kicking off the festival will a very special show - an original, modern piece of "Grand Guignol" Theater that combines live performance and film in a bloody, gory, grindhouse experience.

ABOUT THE BLOOMINGTON PLAYWRIGHTS PROJECT: The Bloomington Playwrights Project is a vibrant, successful not-for-profit arts organization dedicated to the furthering of new original plays and theatre. They produce original work, hold playwrighting contests and act as a valuable resource for the entire community by offering innovative programs and classes.

DIRECTIONS: (click here for a map)

The Bloomington Playwrights Project is located at 107 W. 9th Street (between College and Walnut streets).



The haunted history of the old 'Indiana'
What is now the Buskirk-Chumley, actually began life as the Indiana Theater. Built in 1922 by the Vonderschmitt family, the 'Indiana' opened as a vaudeville and silent movie house. The theater was an instant success, welcoming 1300 people on opening night to see "The Storm" starring House Peters. Before long the 'Indiana' became a fixture in the community- a place for people to cool off from the hot Indiana summers.

Fortunes changed when, in 1933, the theater mysteriously caught fire and nearly burned to the ground. As fire fighters made a valiant effort to put out the blaze, a young mother leaned out of her tiny upstairs apartment above the box office and dropped her baby to waiting arms below. The woman disappeared inside, shortly before flames engulfed the building.

The cause of the fire was determined to be arson, although the case was never solved. Many believed the fire was started by three men hired by the labor union as retribution for the owners' resistance to heavy handed union tactics.

Some friends of the theater owners chased the three men south into Kentucky, killing one and throwing his body into a river. Determined to carry on, the family rebuilt the 'Indiana' in 1934, returning it to its former glory.

75 years later, few records of the fire remain, and it's difficult to determine who may have survived. Today, the apartments above the theater have become offices and there are some who work there who have reported hearing strange sounds from the upstairs projection booth, which was closed off a decade ago...















Visit us on