When it came to checking out movies and entertainment, junior English major Kelsey Yarbrough wasn't sure where to go upon arriving to Tech as a transfer sophomore student.
"I think it'd be helpful for the students to know about movie places," Yarbrough said. "There's not much to do around here, and I only know about the Lyric now. I didn't hear much about it when I first came."
The Lyric has been considered one of the mainstays to Blacksburg's community as its offers cheap tickets, is right downtown, and plays interesting movies that are typically unheard of otherwise.
Executive Director of the Lyric, Susan Mattingly, said that it has been referred to as "the heart of Blacksburg," a name she thinks fits well.
"We are not for profit," Mattingly said regarding the low price of tickets. "We're a resource to enrich the community, not the corporate business."
The Lyric offers free popcorn during its shows on Mondays, and brings a very diverse group of movies to its theater including independent, foreign and mainstream films.
It also benefits those involved with student film activities at Tech, by allowing students and student organizations that are working around cinema or live entertainment to use its theaters and space when possible.
"We try to bring diversity, show quality (films), things you can't see anywhere else, but also some mainstream to bring everyone to the theater," Mattingly said.
The Lyric also has a series of live entertainment starting up Oct. 3. There will be different shows, including "The Second City," an improvisation comedy group from Chicago where many Saturday Night Live alums got their start. Another exciting event going on this semester at the Lyric is the Box of Light Theatre, a show involving two performers and a number of puppets.
They utilize projected multimedia with crazy special effects, miming and different interactive stories. If you are interested in finding out more about the multimedia used and how it pertains to TV and film, there is a workshop available to the community on Sunday, Oct. 26 at 1 p.m.
Another live event at the Lyric is the Wonderful First Wednesdays, during which there is a community show and tell every first Wednesday of the month at 5 p.m.
The live series season will end with an awesome holiday program for all of Blacksburg titled Grinchmas, a musical event featuring Brass 5 and VTuba (The Virginia Tech Tuba Euphonium Ensemble). Also part of the show will be the Blacksburg Children's Master Chorale.