See Living History On-Screen and Off at the Plaza Theatre

Each week, we’ll tell you about one great way to take a much deserved break and make life a little sweeter.

This week: Get in the dark at Atlanta's oldest movie house.

Voted Best Movie Theater in 2010 by Creative Loafing, the isn't just a central, historic and completely cool place to see current and hard-to-find movies, live performances and art shows. It’s also a space that has been different institutions at different times, reflecting Atlanta's ever-changing vibe.

The Plaza was designed by architect George Harwell Bond as a 1000-seat art deco cinema and live theater when it opened its doors in 1939.

By the 1970s, as with so many movie palaces, the Plaza was an X-rated movie and live burlesque theater. It was upgraded again when George Lefont, the father of independent theaters in Atlanta, purchased it in 1983.

But its current incarnation as an avid home to all kinds of contemporary culture, along with great films, is thanks to Jonathon and Gayle Rej, who purchased the theater in 2006, bringing renovations and a large groups of friends and movie fans back inside.

As the city's oldest continuously operating cinema, the Plaza is not only a fixture; it's also formed a foundation that hopes to keep the place going for generations to come.

So pick your movie, whether you go solo to a matinee of the latest release or en masse to a late-night screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and get a taste of Atlanta history in the process.

The Plaza Theatre is located at 1049 Ponce De Leon Ave. Ticket prices for movies are from $7.50 - $9, with a one-dollar discount for cash customers. For box-office details call 404.873.1939 or visit http://www.plazaatlanta.com.