Marquee Arts has replaced its membership program at Ann Arbor’s Michigan Theater and State Theatre with capped tiers and ended its unlimited-movie option.
The nonprofit, formerly known as the Michigan Theater Foundation, launched the new structure on Sept. 1. Members now choose among four annual levels, each with a set number of preloaded tickets, according to MLive.
MLive reported that the former entry options cost $35 annually for first-time members and $70 for basic members. A separate monthly subscription now costs $15 and includes one ticket and one medium popcorn-and-drink combination per month. Twelve monthly payments total $180.
The Marquee Arts membership page lists Silver at $240 annually for 10 preloaded tickets, Gold at $360 for 15, Platinum at $500 for 20 and Diamond at $1,000 for 25. Each annual tier includes a matching number of medium popcorn-and-drink combinations, plus a free monthly matinee.
The old Gold membership cost $300 annually, was shareable between two people and included unlimited movies and unlimited popcorn. Every tier above basic previously came with a $2.50 ticket discount and no online service fees, MLive reported. Now only Diamond members avoid online fees, according to the report.
Molly Rowan, CEO and executive director of Marquee Arts, told MLive the old model had become unsustainable because member-benefit costs often exceeded the revenue those memberships generated.
She estimated that when a Gold member attended weekly, used parking validation and consumed included concessions, it cost the theaters about $608 per year in direct expenses against a $300 membership fee.
"We have sold out of shows and ended the evening owing thousands of dollars," Rowan told MLive.
Rowan told MLive the theaters were not in financial distress and said the membership changes would make benefit costs more predictable.
One month into the rollout, Marquee Arts still counted more than 3,000 members, a threshold Rowan also cited for September 2025, according to MLive. Some existing members retain their old benefits until their renewal date.
Ann Arbor residents Robert Kynsi, 68, and Kaarina Quinnell, 64, told MLive their old premium membership at $160 per year remains in effect until April 2027. The couple has volunteered at and attended the Michigan Theater for more than 20 years. Kynsi said they would not stop going but would likely pay out-of-pocket rather than renew at the new rates.
MLive listed the price of a single nonmember adult movie ticket as $11.75.
Gold and Platinum members receive parking validation for up to two hours with preloaded tickets at most Republic Parking-operated structures. Diamond members get additional perks including 20% off extra concessions, a phone concierge service for live-event tickets and 25% off State Theatre rentals, according to the Marquee Arts website.
