Cleveland Cinemas is out at the Capitol Theatre later this summer.

The big picture: Northwest Neighborhoods (NWN), the community development corporation that owns the venue, has been working since last year to revive the historic neighborhood theater in the Gordon Square Arts District amid declining attendance and changing moviegoing habits.

Driving the news: Beginning July 31, Atlanta-based Arthouse Management LLC will take over operations.

• The company plans to supplement mainstream new releases with independent and international fare and a heavier dose of community programming.

Catch up quick: Built in 1921 as a vaudeville and silent film house, the Capitol sat vacant for roughly two decades before reopening in 2009 on the heels of a $7.5 million renovation.

• Cleveland Cinemas has operated it ever since.
• The local chain's portfolio will soon include only its flagship theater, the Cedar Lee in Cleveland Heights and the Apollo in Oberlin, after Tower City Cinemas closed in 2020.

What they're saying: Cleveland Cinemas' founder and president, Jon Forman, referred Axios to NWN for comment.

Zoom in: Arthouse Management specializes in historic independent theaters and currently operates Atlanta's Plaza and Tara cinemas.

• "The Capitol reminds us why we got into this work," said Arthouse's Chris Escobar in a statement. "Historic theatres like this are cultural anchors. Our job is to honor that legacy while making sure the Capitol remains relevant and accessible for today's audiences."

Between the lines: The shift reflects a broader reality for independent theaters: relying solely on first-run Hollywood films has become increasingly difficult.

• NWN is leaning into the theater as a community gathering space, with potential for events and partnerships with area organizations.

What's next: The Capitol recently received a $50,000 county grant for a new digital projector.

• Arthouse Management intends to hire an operations director for the theater soon.

One of the best parts of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ceremony is watching celebrities turn into fanboys and girls for their favorite music artists.

The intrigue: The Rock Hall is usually tight-lipped about the list of special guests, but we couldn't resist making our picks for who might show up for the class of 2026 on Nov. 14 in L.A.

• There are A LOT of inductees this year, so we're only picking presenters for the honorees in the "Performer" category.

Phil Collins

Our pick: Sting

Collins has a long list of legendary friends to choose from.

• Sting would be perfect as a presenter and stand-in performer for Collins, who retired from performing live in 2022.

Billy Idol

Our pick: Drew Barrymore

Barrymore had fun inducting The Go-Go's in 2021 and could do the honor again for Idol, who made a cameo in 1998's "The Wedding Singer."

Iron Maiden

Our pick: Lars Ulrich

The Metallica drummer is no stranger to Rock Hall speeches and has long cited Iron Maiden as a major influence.

Oasis

Our pick: Johnny Depp

If Julia Roberts can induct Dave Matthews Band, Johnny Depp can step up for the Gallagher Brothers, with whom he's been friends since their 1990s heyday.

Sade

Our pick: Drake

Someone like John Legend or Alicia Keys feels more likely, but the Rock Hall should call Drake, who has three new albums to promote and a Sade tattoo.

Wu-Tang Clan

Our pick: Jason Momoa and Dave Bautista

The Rock Hall audience deserves to enjoy the bromance between Momoa and Bautista, both of whom are Wu-Tang stans.

More picks

🚨 Cleveland safety director Wayne Drummond will ask Cleveland City Council tomorrow to renew a $250,000 contract with Flock Safety for automatic license plate readers, even as resident opposition mounts. (Signal Cleveland)

🫱🏼‍🫲🏾 Cleveland and Brook Park have settled a dispute over land near Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

• The proposed agreement, in which Cleveland retains all future tax revenue in exchange for 34 acres of land and annual payments to Brook Park, will make it easier to redevelop the I-X Center. (News 5)

🏎️ A racing simulator venue — similar to golf simulators but for motorsports — is opening in the former Melt Bar & Grilled location in Lakewood. (Cleveland Scene)

The Cavs take on the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals tonight at Madison Square Garden.

• Coverage begins at 8pm on ESPN.

Why it matters: This is the furthest the Cavs have advanced in the playoffs since LeBron James left Cleveland in 2018.

The intrigue: Cleveland enters the series after a grueling two rounds that went the distance, while New York comes in rested after more than a week off.

How to watch: The series will air at 8pm every other night until it concludes.

• Game 1: 8pm Tuesday, May 19 (ESPN)
• Game 2: 8pm Thursday, May 21 (ESPN)
• Game 3: 8pm Saturday, May 23 (ABC)
• Game 4: 8pm Monday, May 25 (ESPN)

Stop by: The Cavs will host official watch parties for Games 1 and 2 at Rocket Arena, with the game playing live on the Humongotron.

• General admission tickets are $5.

🤔 What we're watching: Could New York's extended rest actually be an advantage?

• If the Cavs catch the Knicks flat-footed and out of sync, Game 1 may be the best opportunity to snatch a game on the road.