“People in Puyallup tend to think of the Liberty as their theater,” says Tom Nuemann, owner of Liberty Theater in Puyallup. “So we try to have a wide array of events to appeal to different types of people.”



To that end, two very different events, both elaborately carried out in their own respects, are scheduled to occur at Liberty in February.



On Super Bowl Sunday, the mother of all parties happens at Liberty.



“A lot of these people have been coming here since the beginning; I guess its seven years now,” says Neumann.



The whole theater will be decked out with Budweiser themed decorations. The Bud Girls will be sauntering around passing out all sorts of Budweiser merchandise such as neon lighted necklaces, noisemakers and other fun giveaways.

T

hroughout the event, Liberty will be giving out prizes such as T-shirts, autographed footballs, helmets and more. Pizza and beer will be consumed in gargantuan proportions.



While all of this is fun, the people really come so they can watch the action on Liberty’s 35-by-15-foot screen in Comcast hi-definition.



“We’re watching the commercials as much as we are watching the game. It’s a party all the way through,” says Neumann.



On Oscar night, the theater will have a completely different appearance all together.

Guests will enter the theater via red carpet and be greeted by celebrity impersonators dressed as Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra and perhaps other celebs as well. But there will be no paparazzi hounding the guests on arrival. “We did that one year and quickly learned that — just like the real celebrities — people hate that. It seemed like a cute idea, but in reality, it’s not funny,” says Nuemann.



After walking the red carpet, people will be seated where they can watch the stars strut their way down the red carpet on the big screen, which is as close to being at the Oscars as you can get when you are 1,104 miles away.



The theater will be showered in Hollywood glitz with decorations in silver, black, white, and bits of red as accents. Tables will be dressed in cloth tablecloths, candles and red roses.



Dinner is included in the admission price, and the buffet menu is being prepared by Liberty’s resident Chef Adam Steward, who promises not to serve food that is too messy for the carefully clad patrons. 



Since the event is black tie, guests will be dressed in formal attire: satin, sequins and sharp lapels.



“People like to dress up and play in that moment,” says Neumann. “They really get into it. We even have people betting on the awards.”



As Neumann points out, the point is to get out and be with people while watching the awards — even if you don’t know the people. “They don’t want to be home alone with the remote,” he says. “We have everything from people in their twentysomethings up to people in their sixtysomethings. Movies are universal and appeal to all kinds of people.”



[Liberty Theater, Super Bowl XLI, Sunday, Feb. 4, noon, 21+, $5, 116 W. Main Ave., Puyallup, 253.864.8116]